Dipcadi goaense Prabhug., U.S.Yadav & Janarth.

Prabhugaonkar, A., Yadav, U.S. & Janarthanam, M.K. 2009. Dipcadi goaense (Hyacinthaceae), a new species from the foothills of the Western Ghats, India. Kew Bulletin 64: 743. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-009-9153-z

Type

India, Goa, Rivona, Kevan, 11 Aug. 2007, Ashish Prabhugaonkar & M. K. Janarthanam A40 (holotypus CAL; isotypi BSI, MH).

Morphology General Habit

A bulbous scapose herb, 150 – 400 mm high

Vegetative Multiplication Bulbs

Bulbs spherical, 10 – 19 mm in diameter, profusely rooting from the base

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in a rosette, 4 – 7 per bulb (1 – 4 at the end of the season), linear, 50 – 250  ×  3 – 4 mm, deeply channelled, green, slightly broader and white at base, entire along margins, narrowed at apex, indumentum absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape

Scape 1.5 – 4 cm  ×  2 – 3 mm, terete, glabrous, sterile bracts absent; raceme 40 – 100 mm long, 2 – 8-flowered; floral bracts broadly ovate, scarious, 5 – 8  ×  4.5 – 7 mm, acuminate at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pedicellate, shining white, 13 – 18 mm long, 14 – 19 mm in diam. when fully opened; pedicel 5 – 10  ×  1 mm, 8 – 15  ×  1.5 mm in fruit, terete to elliptic in outline

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth tube 5 – 6  ×  5 – 6 mm; lobes of the outer whorl oblong to elliptic, 9 – 11  ×  5 – 6 mm, 9-nerved, acute to rounded at apex; inner lobes constricted in the middle, 9 – 11  ×  4 – 6 mm, coherent to form a flask-shaped structure with apical parts spreading, exposing tips of anthers when fully opened in the night, acute at apex, 7 (− 8)-nerved

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6 – 10 mm long; filaments 4 – 6 mm long, strap-shaped, originating at the mouth of the perianth tube, adnate to inner lobes throughout their length; anthers 3 – 4  ×  1 mm, yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Pistil 13 – 17 mm long; stipe 1 – 1.5 mm long; ovary 2.5 – 4  ×  2.5 – 3.5 mm, ovules 5 – 7 per locule; style 9 – 13  ×  1 mm; stigma trifid, but appearing simple to begin with, papillate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule distinctly 3-lobed, 8 – 11  ×  11 – 13 mm; seeds 2 – 5 per locule, ovate to elliptic, rarely semicircular, middle ones discoid with rim, upper and lower ones plano-convex to concavo-convex, 4.5 – 8  ×  3 – 5  ×  1.0 – 1.5 mm, brownish-black in colour

Distribution

India.

Ecology

Open lateritic area with gravelly soil;  ± 50 m. Associated plants include Bhidea burnsiana Bor, Danthonidium gammiei (Bhide) C. E. Hubb., Eriocaulon spp., Glyphochloa spp., Murdannia semiteres (Dalzell) Santapau, Neanotis foetida (Hook. f.) W. H. Lewis, Scilla hyacinthiana (Roth) McBride and Utricularia praeterita P. Taylor.

Conservation

Known only from a single large population of several hundred individuals in the type locality. Assessed here as Data Deficient (DD) pending further study.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting June – August.

Note

The species is named after Goa state wherein the species was collected. The species is closely allied to Dipcadiconcanense but differs in its small flowers (13 – 18 mm long against 35 – 47 mm long) and funnel-shaped perianth tube (against cylindrical tube). The two species are further compared in Table 1. Among the Indian species of the genus, D. concanense and D. goaense are distinct in their shiny white flowers and brownish-black seeds, whereas other species have green to brown perianth and pitch black seeds. Moreover, both the species share the same chromosome number (2n  =  12) (S. R. Yadav pers. comm.). These night blooming species are sweet scented and can be seen flowering from June to August with a peak in July in the midst of the monsoon. The flowers last well over three days and the perianth is seen enclosing the ovary for several days as it develops into a capsule. At the end of the season most of the plants in the population are seen with 1 – 4 leaves though plants during peak growing season are seen with 4 – 7 leaves. This species is apparently endemic to the type locality.