Pleione 15(1): 69 - 73. 2021. ISSN: 0973-9467 © East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte doi:10.26679/Pleione.15.1.2021.069-073 anthemoides L. (): A new record to flora of Ladakh, India Shabir A Zargar, Aijaz Hassan Ganie1, Zafar A Reshi, Manzoor A Shah and Irfan I Sofi Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar-190006, Jammu & Kashmir, India 1 Corresponding author: Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Kargil Campus, Ladakh-194105, India. [email protected] [Received 01.01.2021; Revised 16.04.2021; Accepted 17.04.2021; Published 30.04.2021 ]

Abstract Cotula anthemoides L. (Asteraceae) is reported as a new record for Ladakh, India. A detailed taxonomic description and photographs of diagnostic features are provided to validate this new record form the Trans-Himalaya Ladakh and to facilitate its easier field identification. Key words: Cotula anthemoides, New record, Ladakh flora, Trans-Himalaya

INTRODUCTION The genus Cotula L. (Asteraceae) comprises about 60 species and has its centre of diversity in South , with species distributed across the and some naturalized in the Northern Hemisphere (Powell et al. 2014). Some species of the genus are extended to , , , North Africa and New Guinea (Van Royen & Lloyd 1975). Only three species of the genus have been recorded from Indian sub-continent namely Cotula hemisphaerica (Roxb.) Wall. ex C.B.Clarke, Cotula anthemoides L. and Hook.f. (Shabir & Majid 2017). C. anthemoides is the only species of the genus that has been recorded from Kashmir Himalaya (Dar & Nordenstam 2014). However, till date no species of the genus Cotula L. has been reported from Trans Himalayan region of Ladakh (Hooker 1881; Stewart & Randles 1917; Stewart 1972; Kachroo et al. 1977; Polunin & Stainton 1984; Klimeš & Dickoré 2006; Behera et al. 2014). While carrying out the field surveys to document the floristic diversity of Ladakh, a species of Cotula L. was collected and that was identified as C. anthemoides after consultation with authentic descriptions; illustrations, keys (e-floras). A detailed morphological description and photographs of its diagnostic characters are given here to facilitate its easy identification in the field, and also to validate this new plant species record for the region. Study area: Ladakh (India) covers an area of about 59,147 km2, of high mountain terrain bordering Pakistan in the west and China in the north and east. The extremely rugged mountain terrain of the Trans- Himalaya makes up most of Ladakh’s surface. Ladakh, lying between 21º 572 - 37º502 N and 72º402 - 78º252 E, is located close to the meeting points of three major floristic regions, which are characterized by contrasting precipitation regimes and having widely diverging floristic compositions: the Central Asian Region (almost permanently arid), the Irano-Turanian Region (with winter rains), and the Sino-Himalayan Region (with summer rains) (Nüsser & Dickorè 2002). Taxonomic tools and techniques: Standard taxonomic methods have been used for collection, drying, and further processing of the herbarium specimens (Bridson & Forman 1998). The processed herbarium specimens 70 Occurrence of Cotula anthelmoides in Ladakh

Figure 1: Location map showing collection sites of Cotula anthemoides L. in Ladakh were deposited in the Kashmir University Herbarium (KASH). The fresh plant specimens have been identified using relevant taxonomic literature (Hooker 1881; Stewart 1972) and online e- floras (Flora of Pakistan; Flora of China). For updated nomenclature www.plantsoftheworldonline.org has been consulted. The photographs of the diagnostic characteristics were taken under a Stereozoom microscope (Make & Model: Leica S9D) attached with camera. Description: Cotula anthemoides L., Sp. Pl. 2: 891. 1753. [PLATE – I] Annual or perennial herb, pale-green, glabrous with several branches, up to 20 cm high. rosulate at base, alternate or sometimes opposite in branches, sub-sessile; petiole semi- amplexicauled; lamina ovate-oblong, (1.5-) 2 – 4 (-5) x 1.5 – 3 (3.5) cm, pinnatifid to 2- pinnatisect, ultimate segments narrowly oblong, serrate, acute. Capitula subglobose, 4 – 6 mm across, solitary on filiform, 4 – 5 cm long peduncles; involucre hemispheric; phyllaries in 2 or 3 rows, unequal with narrow scarious margin, 1 – 1.25 x 0.5 – 0.75 mm, obtuse with scarious apices; flat to conical, 3–5 mm in diameter; florets all disc, outer florets in 1 to several rows, female, corolla inconspicuous or absent, half the length of inner-floret corollas, white if present, fertile, generally pedicellate, c 0.5 mm; inner-florets yellow, bisexual, fertile, about 2 mm long, corolla more or less campanulate. Cypsela ovate, 1 mm long, narrowly winged (c. 0.3 mm), marginal cypselas flat, broader than inner-cypselas, all pale-brown. Exsiccata: India, Ladakh, Drass-Kargil [3255m amsl; 34° 232 51.243 N, 75°392 4.493 E], 22.07.2019, Shabir, Aijaz, & Reshi 10113; Panikhar-Kargil [2923m amsl (34°192 08.3.03 N, Shabir A Zargar at al. 71

A B C

D E F G

H I J

PLATE - I: Cotula anthemoides L. : A. Habitat; B. Habit; C. Petiole semi-amplexicaule (arrow); D. ; E. Pinnatifid lamina; F. Part of lamina with narrowly oblong sects and acute apices; G. Subglobose capitulum; H. Phyllaries in 3 rows K (arrow); I - K. Bisexaul floret with campanulate corolla 72 Occurrence of Cotula anthelmoides in Ladakh 75°572 27.03 E)], 25.07.2019, Shabir, Aijaz, & Reshi 10114; Parkachik-Kargil [3359m amsl (34°032 17.83 N, 75æ%561¹6.13 E)], 25.07.2019, Shabir, Aijaz, & Reshi 10115; Drass- Kargil [3265m amsl; 34° 232 51.253 N, 75°392 4.523 E], 11.07.2020, Shabir, Aijaz, & Reshi 10116. Flowering period: July – August Local Distribution: The plant species is growing in Kargil area of Ladakh with the altitudinal rage of 2923 to 3559 m amsl and with Latitude 34°032 17.83 N – 34° 232 51.243 N and Longitude of 75°392 4.493 E – 75°572 27.03 E. World Distribution: Pakistan, India [Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Darjeeling Hills of West Bengal], Nepal, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Africa Notes: The flower and roots of Cotula anthemoides have medicinal properties and are used as stimulant, carminative and tonic. The species is used as aphrodisiac, carminative, diaphoretic and diuretic. The oils obtained from the plant species are aphrodisiac and analgesic (DOMAP, 2016). Therefore, the present record from this region which is sparse in vegetation is not only an addition to the flora of Ladakh but also provides valuable baseline information for the commercial exploitation of bio-resource from this far flung area of the country. This information could be useful for the pharmacologists, physicians, phytochemists, botanists and alike interested in the development of alternative therapies and economic development of the region. In addition, the species has been recorded from 3 sites with small populations therefore; documentation of this species assumes significance for devising conservation strategies and sustainable management in this region.

Acknowledgements Authors are highly thankful to the Head, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar for providing necessary facilities. The financial support by the MoEF&CC, Govt. of India through the NMHS project -2017/LG-01/475; Date: 22-12-2017 is gratefully acknowledged.

LITERATURE CITED

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