Fimbristylis tuckeri Viji, Pandur. & Deepu

Viji, A. R.,Pandurangan, A. G., & Sivadas, D. 2016. Fimbristylis tuckeri (Cyperaceae), a new sedge species from the Western Ghats, India. Kew Bulletin 71:38. DOI 10.1007/S12225-016-9652-7

Type

Type: India, Karnataka, Coorg Distr., Brahmagiri hills, Narimala, ± 1272 m, 11°57'49.7"N 75°58'09.0"E, 27 Dec. 2012, Viji, A. R. & A. G. Pandurangan 75340 (holotype TBGT!; isotypes K!, MH!, TBGT!).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs, 70 – 120 cm tall

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizomes horizontally short creeping, woody, 0.5 – 2 cm thick

Morphology Culms

Culms 5-angular, 60 – 110 cm tall, 1 – 2 mm thick, angles scabrid, erect, stiff

Morphology Leaves

Leaves basal, as long as culm; sheath 2 – 15 cm long, smooth, striate, glabrous, margins hyaline, apex acute; ligule absent; blade linear-lanceolate, 40 – 110 cm long, 0.5 – 0.7 cm wide, olive green, mid nerve prominent, margins scabrid, apex obtuse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences umbellate, decompound, 5 – 8 × 8 – 12 cm; involucral bracts numerous, arranged in whorls; outermost two glumaceous, triangular-ovate–linear-triangular, 1.5 – 2 cm long, reddish brown, striate, margins hyaline, brown dotted, base 0.7 – 10 mm wide; others linear-triangular, 0.5 – 2 cm long, striate, margins scabrid, base 0.4 – 0.5 mm wide, apex acute; primary rays 1 – 7 cm long, bearing 35 – 40 spikelets, angular, angles scabrid upwards; secondary rays 0.5 – 1.5 cm long, angular, bearing 5 – 15 spikelets; tertiary rays occasionally produced, 0.3 – 0.5 cm long, bearing single spikelet

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets ovate, 4 – 6 × 2 – 2.5 mm, reddish brown, 2 – 5 sessile spikelets in a group; glumes triangular-ovate, 2.8 – 3 × 2.5 – 3 mm, brown, sharply keeled, keel tip acute, apex scabrid, margins hyaline

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, anthers linear, c. 2 mm long, apex acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary obovoid, c. 1 mm long; style trigonous, 1.8 – 2 mm long, base shortly pyramidal, apex shortly fimbriate; stigmas 3, 1.2 – 1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet obovate, 1 – 1.2 × 0.7 – 1 mm, sub-trigonous, shortly stipitate, yellow, surface cells in many longitudinal series on each face

Distribution

India: Western Ghats – Karnataka, Coorg distr.; Kerala, Palakkad distr., Nelliyampathy hills. Fig. 2A. The mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents a geomorphic feature of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes. Due to its exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism, it is recognised as one of the world’s eight ‘hottest hotspots’ of biological diversity (UNESCO 2015). The type locality of the new species falls within the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which harbours a wide spectrum of ecosystems and has been noted as one of the micro ‘hotspots’ for speciation in the tropics (Pandurangan et al. 2012). The new species was also collected from the Nelliyampathy hills, located at the northern edge of Anamalais facing Nilgiris beyond Palghat gap.

Ecology

Found in open grassland at an altitude of 1240 – 1272 m along with grass and sedge species such as Arundinella pumila (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Steud., Tripogon bromoides Roth ex Roem. & Schult., Fimbristylis uliginosa Hochst. ex Steud. etc.

Conservation

This species has been found at two different localities namely Narimala and Nelliyampathy within the Western Ghats. According to IUCN criteria (IUCN 2012a & b, 2013), the extent of occurrence (EOO) between these localities is within 300 km2 and the populations are severely fragmented. The area of occupancy (AOO) is less than 5 km2, and there is fluctuation in the number of mature individuals and subpopulations. As per our assessment and since there are chances of finding this species in areas with similar topography, we recommend a preliminary conservation assessment as Endangered [EN B1ac(iii, iv) + 2 ac(iii, iv)]. Both these localities are within protected areas and may be adequately protected.

Note

Flowering and fruiting was observed from September to January. This species is named in honour of Prof. Gordon C. Tucker, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, U.S.A, in recognition of his immense contributions to the taxonomy of the family Cyperaceae. Similar to Fimbristylis filifolia Boeckeler of north-eastern India, as indicated by the absence of ligule, reduced inflorescence bracts, inflorescence with 2 – 3 orders of branching, three-branched non-glabrous style and three-sided nutlet that is slightly compressed with transversely lineolate surface. However, it differs distinctly from F. filifolia by the presence of a horizontally short creeping indurate rhizome (vs rhizome absent), 5-angled scabrid culm (vs 4-angled, smooth), 5 – 7 mm wide leaf blade (vs 1 – 1.5 mm wide or absent), glumaceous involucral bract (setaceous) and 2 – 5 sessile spikelets in a group (solitary, pedicellate). A comparative table is provided including the diagnostic characters of these species for easy identification (Table 1).