Current ISSN 2449-8866 Life Sciences Short Communication

Lathyrus cicera () - a new record for the flora of India

B. L. Bhellum

Department of Botany, Government College for Women, Parade, Jammu - 180001, Jammu and Kashmir State, India; e-mail: [email protected]

Received: 17 April 2016; Revised submission: 09 June 2016; Accepted: 04 July 2016 Copyright: © The Author(s) 2016. Current Life Sciences © T.M.Karpi ński 2016. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.57023

ABSTRACT (Waldst. & Kit.), odoratus L., Lathyrus pratensis L., Lathyrus sativus L., Lathyrus sphae- Lathyrus cicera L. is presented as a new record for ricus Retz. [8]. During the observation and the Flora of India. The new record is based on the collection of angiosperms diversity in nature the specimens collected from the adjoining area of author came across some specimens of Lathyrus Tikri, a village of district Udhampur of Jammu and from a village Tikri of District Udhampur of Jammu Kashmir State. Morphological description of the and Kashmir (Fig. 1). species and flowering and fruiting periods and ecological notes are presented here along with the illustrations of vegetative and floral parts and a scanned copy of Herbarium sheet of the species. The species is distinguished from other allied species on the basis of morphological characters of leaves, peduncle 1-3 cm long articulated near to the middle or towards apex, red flowers, presence of markings on the surface of pods and dark brown to black seed. Figure 1. Map showing location of Tikri and Udhampur Keywords: Lathyrus cicera L.; New record; India. in Jammu and Kashmir State, India.

Genus Lathyrus L. (Tribe Viceae, Fabaceae) On further investigation of these specimens is represented by 13 sections and 200 species these were identified as Lathyrus cicera that is distributed over the world wide [1] and new species mainly confined to Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle the genus are still being discovered as evidenced by East and North America. Lathyrus cicera is the most the reports from Turkey [2-4] and Italy [5]. In India economical species and used as food, fodder and the Lathyrus is represented by 10 species from India ornamental. Perusal of literature such as [5, 8-11] including Lathyrus aphaca L., Lathyrus erectus indicate that this species has not been earlier Lagasca, Lathyrus hirsutus L., Lathyrus humilis reported form India therefore, recorded as new to (Seringe) Fischer ex Spreng., Lathyrus lavigatus the flora of India. However, this species has been

Current Life Sciences 2016; 2 (3): 64-66

65 | Bhellum Lathyrus cicera (Fabaceae) - a new record for the flora of India reported form the adjoining area in the Flora of scopia L., Medicago polymorpha L., Melilotus West Pakistan [1]. The voucher specimens were indica All., Pentanema indicum (L.) Ling., Scali- then deposited the Herbarium (RRLH 23025) of geria stewartiana Nasir , Torilis japonica (Houtt,) Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines, Jammu. DC. and sativa L. The illustrations of vegetative and floral parts, fruit Flowering and Fruiting: March-April. and seed are given along with a scanned copy of Distribution: South Asia (Pakistan); Africa; herbarium sheet (Figs. 2 and 3). Europe; Middle East; Russian Asia and North The specimens of the species under the America. present investigation recorded were collected from Tikri area of district Udhampur of Jammu and Kashmir State between 2015 and 2016. After following the proper procedure of drying the specimens in the press, these specimens were mounted on the Herbarium sheets. The identification of the specimens was confirmed with the help of taxonomic literature. The specimens were compared with Specimen Image of Kew Herbarium Catalogue as cited: http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/getImage.do?imageBarc ode=K000195748 Taxonomic description: Lathyrus cicera L. Sp. Pl. 730. 1753. Ali in Biologia 11 (2): 8. 1965. Meikle, Fl. Cyprus 1. 1977. Annual glabrous, procumbent ascending herbs; stem much branched from the base, green, 30-70 cm tall, slightly winged; Leaves compound having two linear, elongate leaflets, 3-6 cm long, terminating in branched coiled tendrils; stipule 1-2 cm long, ovate, lanceolate, Figure 2. Lathyrus cicera L.: A - root stock and basal semisagittate, peduncle 1-3 cm long articulated in parts; B - twig; C - flower; D - calyx; E - stamens; the middle or towards apex; inflorescence with F - pistil; G - legume; H - seed. solitary axillary flower; flowers 1-1.4 cm long; calyx campanulate, 6-9 mm long, teeth subequal,

2-3 times as long as the tube; corolla red or brick The flora of India accounts for a total of red, 10-15 mm long; glabrous, standard flattened, 17926 species and current new record is an addition lateral wings narrow and two narrow united below to the flora of India. In past, a large number of forming keel; stamens 10, diadelphous, anthers explorers have collected and described the bithecous, filaments 12 mm long, white; ovary from this region. These include Hooker [5], Sharma 6-8 mm long, monocarpellary, style elongate and Kachroo [9], Sanjapa [8] and Swami and Gupta terminating in hairy stigma; legume 20-40 mm long, [11]. The geographical location of Jammu and 4-9 mm broad, glabrous, upper surface flattened, Kashmir State and variation in elevation of this area with two narrow ridges on dorsal side, brown on indicate the most suitable for diversity in flora of the dorsal seam, 2-6 seeded; seeds oblique to ovoid, flat State. The present work indicates that a Flora of to concave 4-5 mm across, smooth. Jammu and Kashmir is very rich in plant diversity Ecological note: Grows on margins of the that still requires more attention to know about the forest openings at Tikri which lies between 32 ° 55 ′ legumes of this region. Indian legumes have already 46.995 ″ N and 74 ° 57 ′ 33. 764 ″ E of district been compiled [8]. More serious attempts can give Udhampur of Jammu and Kashmir State in better understanding of protein rich and ethno- association with Ajuga parviflora Benth, Dalbergia botanically important species and current legume sissoo Roxb. ex DC., Euphorbia hirta L., helio- distribution status. The conservation status of

Current Life Sciences 2016; 2 (3): 64-66

66 | Bhellum Lathyrus cicera (Fabaceae) - a new record for the flora of India species under threat has to be given protection on My sincere thanks are due to anonymous reviewers priority basis. for helpful suggestions.

TRANSPARENCY DECLARATION

The author declares no conflicts of interest.

REFERENCES 1. Ali SI. Papilionaceae In: Flora of W. Pakistan. No. 100. Karachi, 1977. 2. Conti F. A new species of Lathyrus L. (Fabaceae) from Central Apennine (Italy). Plant Biosyst. 2010; 144(4): 814-818. 3. Genc H, Sahin A. A new species of Lathyrus L. (Fabaceae) from Turkey. J Syst Evol. 2011; 49(5): 505-508. 4. Gunes F. A new species of Lathyrus (Fabaceae) from Turkey. Pensee J. 2014; 76(3): 339-350. 5. Hooker JD. The Flora of British India. Vol. II. L. Reeve & Co. London, 1876. 6. Kupicha FK. The infragenic structure of Lathyrus . Royal Bot Gard. 1983; 41: 209-244. 7. Mozaffarian V, Ahavazi M, Chakhchian M. New species of genus Lathyrus (Papilionaceae) from Iran. Iran J Bot. 2008; 14(1): 7-9. 8. Sanjappa M. Legumes of India. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, 1991 9. Sharma BM, Kachroo P. Flora of Jammu and Plants Figure 3. Lathyrus cicera L.: a scanned copy of of neighbourhood. Vol. 1. Bishen Singh Mahendra Herbarium Sheet. Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, 1981.

10. Sharma BM. Illustrations of Jammu plants. A supplement to Flora of Jammu and Plants of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS neighbourhood with general key and annotation. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, The author is grateful to Prof. A. K. Koul, Dean 2010. Academic Affairs, Baba Gulamshah Badshah 11. Swami A, Gupta BK. Flora of Udhampur. Bishen University, Rajouri, J & K, and Prof. Rani Magotra Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, 1998. Department of Botany, University of Jammu for valuable suggestions and encouragement. I wish to thank the Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu for providing permission to Library and Herbarium consultation.

Current Life Sciences 2016; 2 (3): 64-66