SH0RT'.COMMUN1CATI0NS: BlJL:L. BOT. SlJRV. VOL. 9(1-4), 1967

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LAGENANDRA UNDULATA- A NEW SPECIES OF

An Araceous forming dense patches on Ceylon. Thus the present discovery of this ge~~ ~~ partly submerged rocks in a Stl;'eam was identified Subansiri District in the Eastern Hi~alaras! ·!' ; ~~ as Lagenandra Dalz., a hitherto unrecorded phytogeographic interest. A ten~atl~e 1dentifi(:ao:,; in the Himalayan region. Of the 6 known species tion of these to near either L. lanc~folYJ (Sch.);'!Jl!: of this geiJ.us, z occur in South Concan in the West­ or L. thwaites.ii . Engler, provea incorrect ~hC:~:~!~ ern Ghats and the other 4 : further south, in fied with reference to authentic specimens ··Of,:Ui SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; BULL, BOT. SUR'/. lNDIA VOL. 9(1-4), Hfi7

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. Lagenandra undulata Sastry spec. nov. Figs. 1-6 : l. Habit. 2. Spathe. 3. L. S. of spathe. 4. Spadix. 5. Anthers. 6. Ovary. 6a. L. S. of ovary. 6b. Ovule. SHORT CQ_MMUNICATIONS; BULL, BOT. SURV. Thi'DIA VOL. 9(1-4)~ 1967 two species. The Subansiri are quite distinc­ ally simple ; internodes about 4 mm lo11g; :.rOf:Jf*'' tive. Incidentally, . the two Calcutta specimens an­ stout, · fibrous. Cataphylls upto 3 em lmig/ fui~'t notated by Engler as L. lancifolia (Sch.) Thw. and lanceolate, convolute,. deciduous. Leaves whit~ RlW'f L. thwaitesii -Engl. with Thwaites. C. P. No. 3173 tulate, alternate, petwlate, sheathed ; sheath$:E:i~ and C. P. No. 3174 respectively (now: verified), indi­ bricate, r -2 em long, about 2 mm · broad, 2:Ji&l~(bz cate a transposition of the two numbers as pub­ membranous ; petiole I-7·5 em long, about~-~i!J;;t~i lished in Pflanzenreich 73: 230-231, 1920. broad, about equal to the lamina, strongly : sfti~16j; adaxially deeply grooved ; lamina: I ·S-9 x o.s~r :sc.ihi" Lagenandra undulata Sastry spe!,:. nov. elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, fleshy when fresh1· Herba perennis, submersa ; rhizoma repens, ca. becoming thin on drying. margins undulate,d>ase' 5 mm crassum, paulum applanatum, vulgo simp­ cuneate; midrib distinct, ventralJy channelled, . d6~:: lex ; in.ternodia ca. 4 mm longa ; radices robustae, sanr ridged, wi~h two pairs o£ lateral nmesVtl{e fibrosae . . Cataphylla ad 3 em longa, lineari-lanceo­ first pair from the base extending above the mi:d,dif; lata, convoluta, decidua. Folia albo-punctulata, al­ the second pair starting about th~ middle ..all.d ·.llrch; terna, petiolata, vaginata; vagina imbricata, 1-2 em ed upwards to the tip ; other veins few, fain£. Ped~ longa, ca. 2 mm l~ta, 2-carinata, membranace3;; uncle axillary, partly enclosed ip. the leaf. sheath; petioli 1-7.5 em longi, ca. 2 mm lati, laminae sub­ about 2 em long, about 2 mm thick, terete; '.strongl aequales, fortiter' striati, adaxialiter alte sulcati; ly striate. Spathe about 2 em long, about ,7 nim. lamina 1.5-9 x 0.5- 1.5 em, elliptico-lanceolata, acu­ broad at base, tubular below, constricted. in the mid­ minata, VIVa carnosa,.. sicca evadens gracilis, margini­ dle, smooth with emphatic longitudinal paraiie{ bus undulatis, basi cuneata, nervo media distincto, . veins; limb ovate-acuminate, slightly twisted; ··,.·''' ventraliter canaliculato, dorsaliter porcato, nervorum shortly hooked, dark purple-blotched ·insid.s::, ·· lateralium paribus duobus. Pedunculus axillaris, ly septate at base within. Male . · Hnal'! creeping, about 5 mm thick, slightly flattened, usu-