Pleione 11(1): 159 - 162. 2017. ISSN: 0973-9467 © East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte

Ipomoea triloba L. (): a new record for the flora of Assam, India

Karuna Kanta Das Department of Botany, D.K. College, Mirza-781125, Assam, India E-mail: [email protected] [Received 11.04.2017; Revised 18.05.2017; Accepted 20.05.2017; Published 30.06.2017]

Abstract triloba L. belonging to Convolvulaceae has been recorded for the first time from the Kamrup district (Metro) of Assam and is reported here as a new record for the State. Detailed description, phenology and ecology of the taxon have been provided along with photographs for its easy identification in the field. Key words: Ipomoea triloba, New record, Guwahati, Assam

INTRODUCTION While exploring the herbaceous angiospermic flora of Kamrup district (Metro), Assam, the author came across an interesting species of Ipomoea L. from different places of Guwahati. After preliminary laboratory studies and thorough survey of literature and expert opinion, it is identified as Ipomoea triloba L. of Convolvulaceae. This specimen is known as little bell morning glory and is a native of tropical America, which is now weedy throughout the tropics. Ipomoea L. is one of the dominant genera of Convolvulaceae. It is represented by about 650 species, distributed mostly in the tropical and warm temperate region of the world, especially of North and South America (Mabbarley 2008). In India, the genus is represented by c.60 species (Santapau & Henry 1973). Subsequently Ipomoea mombassana Vatke (Biju et al. 1998), I. parasitica (Kunth) G. Don (Biju 2002) and I. ochracea (Lindl.) G.Don (Shimpale et al. 2012) have been added to Indian flora, bringing the total number to 63 spp. The number of species of Ipomoea in Assam varies from 10 (Kanjilal et al. 1939) to 18 (Choudhury 2005). As occurrence of Ipomoea triloba in Assam is not reported by the ear- lier workers including Kanjilal et al. (1939), Barua (1992), Choudhury (2005), and Barooah et al. (2014), here it is being reported as new record to Assam and a detailed taxonomic de- scription, photographs, map, along with phenology and ecological notes of the same has been provided in present communication to facilitate its easy identification. Ipomoea triloba L., Sp. Pl. 1: 161. 1753; Ipomoea blancoii Choisy in DC., Prodr. 9: 389. 1845; Shah, Fl. Gujrat 1: 475. 1978; Fernandes et al., in J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 52: 661 - 663.1954; Chandra et al., Indian J. For. 2: 23. 1979; Singh & Pandey in Bull. Bot. Surv. Ind. 21: 92. 1979; Deva et al. in Indian For. 116(9) 755 - 756. 1990; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 344. 2005; Bhellum & Magotra in J. Phytol. Res. 20(2): 243 - 245. 2007. Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 476. 2009; Magesh et al., in Zoo's Print, 5, 24. 2012. [PLATE - I] 160 Occurrence of Ipomoea triloba in Assam

B

A C

D

PLATE I: Ipomoea triloba L.: A. Distribution in India; B. Habit with trilobed leaf; C. Almost entire cordate leaf; D. Pedunculate cymose E inflorescence; & E. Voucher specimen K.K. Das 161 Annual herbaceous twiner, often on grasses or low shrubs. Stem twining or prostrate with milky sap, glabrous except the inflorescence. Leaves alternate; petiole slender, 5 - 7 cm, glabrous, sometimes tuberculate; lamina cordate, acuminate, mostly 5-10(12) cm long, longer than wide (Plate I, Figure B), not always three-lobed as the specific epithet suggests. Cymes axillary, umbellate, densely 1 - several flowered; penduncles 7.5 to 8.5 cm, angular, minutely verrucose toward the apex; bracts linear -lanceolate, minute; flowers aggregated in umbellate cymes, 2 - 3 cm long; pedicels 4 - 8 mm, angular, thickened at apex, glabrous; sepals slightly unequal, 7 - 8 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pilose abaxially, margin fimbriate, tip obtuse to acute, mucronulate; outer 2 oblong, slightly shorter; inner 3 elliptic-oblong; corolla pink or pale purple, funnel-shaped, 1.8 - 2 cm long, glabrous; limb obtusely 5-lobed; stamens 5, inserted, unequal; filaments hairy at base; pistil included, 1.3 cm long; ovary densely pubescent, 2 - 4 celled, conical; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule depressed globose, 5 - 6 mm, bristely pubescent, apiculate, 2-loculed, 4-valved; seeds 4 or less, dark brown, 3.5 mm, glabrous except at one margin.

Flowers & Fruits: August - February Ecology: Found growing in grassland and waste places; also twining on shrubs and fences; in association with (L.) Roth, Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Greseb., Physalis minima L., Amaranthus spinosus L., Xanthium strumarium L., etc. Exsiccatae: India: Assam, Kamrup district (Metro), Guwahati, K.K. Das 506, dated 27.09.2012, Distribution: This species is a native of Tropical America, now naturalized throughout the tropics. It was introduced into East and South-East United States. China, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the nearest countries where from this species is recorded. In India (Plate I, Figure A), it was recorded from Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (Dehradun, now in Uttarakhand), Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir. It is also reported from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh by efloraofindia google group. India Biodiversity Portal also reported the species from Meghalaya and Telengana. Recently it has also been reported from Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Naik et al. 2016).

Acknowledgements The author is grateful to University Grants Commission for financial assistance. He is also thankful to the efloraofindia google group for providing a platform for identification and discussion on Indian flora. The author also wants to show his gratitude to Mr. Homeswer Das, Dept. of Geography, D.K. College, for technical help.

LITERATURE CITED

Barooah, C. & Ahmed, I. 2014. diversity of Assam: A checklist of Angiosperms & Gymnosperms. Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati. Barua, I.C. 1992. Systematic studies of the angiosperms of Kamrup District, Assam, Ph. D. Thesis, Gauhati University. (Unpublished). Biju, S.D.; Matthew. P. & Kumar, V.M. 1998. Ipomoea mombassana Vatke (Convolvulaceae) - A new record for India. J. Econ. Tax. Bot. 22(2): 471 - 473. Biju, S.D. 2002. Ipomoea parasitica (Kunth) G.Don (Convolvulaceae): A new record for India. Rheedea 12(1): 77 - 79. 162 Occurrence of Ipomoea triloba in Assam Chowdhury, S. 2005. Assam's flora (Present status of Vascular ). Assam Science Technology and Environment Council, Guwahati. Efloraofindia google group (https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a---l/cl/ convolvulaceae /ipomoea/ipomoea-triloba) http://indiabiodiversity.org Kanjilal, U.N.; Das, A. & Kanjilal, P.C. 1939. Flora of Assam, Vol. III. Govt. of Assam, Shillong. Mabberley, D. J. 2008. Mabberley's plant book, A portable dictionary of Plants, their classification and uses. Third Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Naik, Mudavath Chennakesavulu & Rao, B.R.P. 2016. Eight Angiosperm Species, Additions to Flora of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. Biosci. Discov. 7(1): 30 - 33. Santapau, H & Henry, A.N. 1973. A dictionary of the flowering plants in India. CSIR, New Delhi. P. 83 Shimpale, V.B.; Kshirsagar, P.R. & Pawar, N.V. 2012. Ipomoea ochracea (Convolvulaceae) - A new record for India. Rheedea. 22(2): 99 - 102.