Alysicarpus sanjappae S.Chavan, Sardesai & Pokle

Chavan, S., Sardesai, M.M. & Pokle, D.S. 2013. Alysicarpus sanjappae (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), a new species from the Western Ghats of India. Kew Bulletin 68: 183. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-012-9425-x

Morphology General Habit

Prostrate or procumbent herbs

Morphology Stem

Stems and branches herbaceous, glabrous except for a strigose line of distantly placed hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually 1-foliolate mixed with 3-foliolate, petiolate, stipulate; petioles 2 – 6 mm long, glabrous; petiolules very small; stipules lanceolate, acuminate, 9 – 12 × 1.5 – 2.6 mm, distantly ciliate on margins towards the tip; stipels 2 – 2.3 × 0.4 – 0.7 mm; leaflets ovate or obovate, 0.6 – 2.5 × 0.4 – 1.5 cm, rounded at base, mucronate at apex, upper surface glabrous, lower distantly hairy on the nerves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 6 – 20, paired on axillary or terminal 1.5 – 6.5 cm long pseudoracemes; pedicels 1.5 – 3 mm long, glabrous; primary bracts 4.5 – 5.5 × 2.3 – 3.4 mm long, acuminate; secondary bracts linear, 1 – 1.6 × 0.2 mm, glabrous; calyx gamosepalous, sepals five, lanceolate, strigose with brown hairs on margins at tips of all sepals; two posterior sepals connate at tips, strigose with brown hairs at base, three anterior sepals free, glabrous at base, 6 – 9 × 1.5 – 2 mm; corolla yellow with red tinge; standard obovate, base narrowed, apex emarginate, 5 – 6.5 × 3 – 4.5 mm; wing deep pink, rounded, obovate, tapering at base, slightly curved 4 – 4.5 × 2 – 3 mm, keel boat-shaped 4.5 – 4.7 × 3.5 mm, reticulately veined; stamens 9 + 1 diadelphous, dithecous, basifixed, 4.5 – 4.8 mm long, style 3.5 – 4 mm, stigma capitate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, 1.6 – 1.8 × 1 – 1.3 mm, turgid; triangular, elliptic, cylindrical, irregular-quadrangular, oblong or ovate-elongate, glabrous, brown, yellow-brown or reddish brown Pods 6 – 8 mm long, 4 – 5-jointed, rugose, as long as calyx or slightly exerted, turning black at maturity

Distribution

India.

Ecology

This taxon is found along roadsides, in grassy areas and in open, dry and waste places, especially on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, and it appears to be restricted to this region.

Conservation

The extent of occurrence is estimated to be less than 20,000 km2 and the area of occupancy less than 2,000 km2. However, there is no information available to make a direct assessment of any risk of reduction in population size by any kind of threat. It is therefore treated as Data Deficient (DD) until adequate information is available.

Phenology

Flowering July – Sept.; fruiting Aug. – Sept.

Note

This taxon is named after Dr M. Sanjappa, Former Director of the Botanical Survey of India, who has made valuable contributions to plant science in general and to legumes in particular. This species is similar to Alysicarpus heyneanus Wight & Arn. but it differs in having a prostrate habit, stems and branches strigose with a line of distant hairs, leaves mostly 1-foliolate, mixed with 3-foliolate, stipules and stipels distinctly ciliate only at the tip, secondary bracts, glabrous pedicels, dark brown hairs present only on the margins at the tips of all sepals, a corolla yellow-tinged with red and pods rugose, as long as or slightly longer than sepals