OPEN ACCESS All arfcles publfshed fn the Journal of Threatened Taxa are regfstered under Creafve Commons Atrfbufon 4.0 Interna - fonal Lfcense unless otherwfse menfoned. JoTT allows unrestrfcted use of arfcles fn any medfum, reproducfon and dfstrfbufon by provfdfng adequate credft to the authors and the source of publfcafon. Journal of Threatened Taxa The fnternafonal journal of conservafon and taxonomy www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Onlfne) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Prfnt) Short Com munfcatfon An update on the dfstrfbutfon pattern and endemfcfty of three lesser-known tree specfes fn the Western Ghats, Indfa K. Sankara Rao , N.V. Page , A.N. Srfngeswara, R. Arun Sfngh & Imran Bafg 26 September 2016 | Vol. 8 | No. 11 | Pp. 9350–9355 10.11609/ jot. 2362 .8.1 1.9350-9355 For Focus, Scope, Afms, Polfcfes and Gufdelfnes vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/About_JoTT.asp For Arfcle Submfssfon Gufdelfnes vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/Submfssfon_Gufdelfnes.asp For Polfcfes agafnst Scfenffc Mfsconduct vfsft htp://threatenedtaxa.org/JoTT_Polfcy_agafnst_Scfenffc_Mfsconduct.asp For reprfnts contact <[email protected]> Publfsher/Host Partner Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 September 2016 | 8(11): 9350–9355 An update on the distribution pattern and endemicity of three lesser-known tree species in the Western Ghats, India ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) 2 3 4 5 Short Communication Short K. Sankara Rao¹, N.V. Page , A.N. Sringeswara , R. Arun Singh & Imran Baig ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 1,2,4 Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India OPEN ACCESS 3,5 Lead Botanic Garden, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560065, India 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected], 4 [email protected], 5 [email protected] Abstract: The present communication reports an update on the species including Orophea malabarica Sasidh. & Sivar. distribution of three endemic tree species of the Western Ghats-Sri and Orophea sivarajanii Sasidh. (Sankararao et al. 2015). Lanka biodiversity hotspot, namely, Atuna indica (Bedd.) Kosterm., Paracroton integrifolius (Airy Shaw) N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab. and The genus Atuna Raf. (Chrysobalanaceae) comprises Phaeanthus malabaricus Bedd. The discovery of these taxa in the nine species of the Indo-Malayan origin (Mabberley Makutta Ghat of Kodagu District results in the extension of their northern range limits and further enriches the flora of Karnataka 2008; The Plant List 2014) of which two species A. indica state by three more tree species. Within the Western Ghats, these (Bedd.) Kosterm. & A. travancorica (Bedd.) Kosterm. are taxa were previously recorded only from the states of Kerala and endemic to the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu, while Paracroton integrifolius (Airy Shaw) N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab. has also been recorded from Sri Lanka. Nomenclature in India (Nayar et al. 2006). The genus Paracroton Miq. updates, detailed descriptions, conservation status and relevant notes (Euphorbiaceae) comprises five species (The Plant List on the habitat, phenology and distribution localization are supplied. 2014) of which two species P. integrifolius (Airy Shaw) Additionally, field photographs and scanned herbarium specimens are provided to facilitate easy identification of these taxa in the field. N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab. and P. pendulus subsp. zeylanicus (Thwaites) N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab. are endemic to Kerala Keywords: Endemic, Karnataka, Kodagu District, new records, range and Tamil Nadu in India and Sri Lanka (Nayar et al. 2006; extension, Western Ghats. Balakrishnan et al. 2012), and the genus Phaeanthus Hook.f. & Thomson (Annonaceae) comprises 16 species During our routine floristic exploration trips to distributed throughout the world (The Plant List 2014), Kodagu forests intended to strengthen and update one species of which, namely, P. malabaricus Bedd. is the ‘flora Karnataka’ online database (Digital Flora endemic to the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. of Karnataka 2014), the evergreen woody species, The present study establishes the extension in Atuna indica (Bedd.) Kosterm., Paracroton integrifolius distribution range of these species from the earlier (Airy Shaw) N.P. Balakr. & Chakrab. and Phaeanthus mentioned locations to newer sites in the Western malabaricus Bedd. were discovered from the evergreen Ghats in Karnataka. These findings result in the addition forest of Makutta Ghat along with other endemic of three tree species to the floral diversity in the state DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.2362.8.11.9350--9355 Editor: N.P. Balakrishnan, Retd. Joint Director, BSI, Coimbatore, India. Date of publication: 26 September 2016 (online & print) Manuscript details: Ms # 2362 | Received 13 October 2015 | Final received 08 September 2016 | Finally accepted 17 September 2016 Citation: Rao, K.S., N.V. Page, A.N. Sringeswara, R.A. Singh & I. Baig (2016). An update on the distribution pattern and endemicity of three lesser-known tree species in the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(11): 9350–9355; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.2362.8.11.9350-9355 Copyright: © Rao et al. 2016. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication. Funding: In-house funding of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, F.No.SERB/SR/SO/PS/158/2010, dated 10-05-2012. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Acknowledgements: The authors thank the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for facilities and encouragement. The Range Forest Officer, Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Kodagu is acknowledged for help in carrying out field explorations in Makutta Ghat forest. The second author is grateful to Rufford small grant foundation (RSGF 10801-1) and Conservation LOGOsLeadership Program (03190414) for supporting field work. Authors acknowledge with thanks the technical help provided by Dr. Raja K. Swamy. 9350 Three lesser-known tree species of Western Ghats Rao et al. Figure 1. Map of Kodagu District, Karnataka showing specimen collection locations. and also warrant an extension of the endemicity of flowering and Paracroton integrifolius in fruiting stages these taxa. were located from other locations of Makutta Ghat (Fig. 1). Study area Kodagu (Coorg), a hilly district of Karnataka State, lies Material and Methods geographically between 12.4233330N and 75.73750E and The taxa in their mentioned stages were extends over an area of 4,102km2 in the Western Ghats photographed and their specimens collected. Relevant (Census 2011). This region is bordered by other districts, taxonomic notes and geographical coordinates (using i.e., Hassan to the north, Mysore to the east, Dakshina hand held Garmin GPS) were also recorded. Herbarium Kannada to the northwest and districts of Kerala state specimens were prepared using standard protocols and to the south including Kasaragod, Kannur and Wayanad were accessed into Herbarium JCB at the Centre for disricts. Kodagu has three wildlife sanctuaries, viz., the Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Brahmagiri, Pushpagiri and Talacauvery and one national Bengaluru and the Herbarium UASB at the University park, namely, Nagarhole (=Rajiv Gandhi National Park), of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru. The which is a major bio-reserve of this district. Makutta specimens were carefully examined for identification Ghat, is one of the species rich regions of Kodagu and and the determinations validated by further referring harbours a number of endemic species of the Western to the available taxonomic literature (Nair & Henry Ghats. 1983; Nayar et al. 2006; Mabberley 2008; Karthikeyan Atuna indica was first located in Makutta Ghat during et al. 2009; Balakrishnan et al. 2012) and online digital a visit in February 2014. Subsequently, in the month of herbaria, HIFP (French Institute of Pondicherry), KFRI March, in the same year Phaeanthus malabaricus in (Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi), K (Royal Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 September 2016 | 8(11): 9350–9355 9351 Three lesser-known tree species of Western Ghats Rao et al. Botanic Gardens, Kew) and MO (Missouri Botanical 1963. Ostodes zeylanicus var. minor sensu Gamble, Fl. Garden, St. Louis, Missouri). Digitization of specimens Pres. Madras 1336(935). 1925, non (Thw.) Hook.f. 1887. was carried out using in-house herbarium scanning Fahrenheitia integrifolia (Airy Shaw) Airy Shaw, Kew equipment. Bull. 20: 410. 1966; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 417. 1988. (Image 3). Atuna indica Moderate-sized evergreen trees; bark thick, smooth, (Bedd.) Kosterm., Reinwardtia 7: 423. 1969; Ratheesh exfoliating with brownish-orange blaze. Young shoots Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 344. 2009; Sasidh. & sparsely-pubescent. Leaves simple, alternate with Sujanpal, Rheedea 21: 81. 2011.Parinari indica (Bedd.) caducous, lateral stipules. Petioles 10–25 mm long, Bedd., Icon. Pl. Ind. Or. 22, t. 109. 1870 (as ‘Parinarium bi-glandular at the apex on either side; lamina 10–16 x indicum’); Fl. Syl. S. India t. 191. 1872; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. 4–7 cm, elliptic-obovate, base cuneate, apex acuminate, India 2:311.1878; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras