Eriocaulon albotetrandra, a remarkable new species of Eriocaulaceae from the ponds in the lateritic plateau of Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Eriocaulon albotetrandra, a new species with dimerous flowers collected from the ponds on the lateritic plateaus of Western Ghats, India is described and illustrated. The new species is compared with its closely allied species based on vegetative, floral and seed coat morphology and its possible affinities are discussed.

Keywords:

• Dimerous flowers
• diplostemonous
• Eriocaulon
• Karnataka

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to Dr R. Ansari, Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute of Plant Sciences for confirming novelty of the species. The authors are indebted to the Principal, St Thomas College, Pala, Kerala for providing necessary laboratory facilities for the work. The first author is grateful to the Principal, Govt College, Kasargod, Kerala for providing the necessary support for the work. The first and second authors are thankful to University Grants Commission for providing financial support as UGC-FIP. The authors are indebted to Mr Muhammed Haneef KA, a research student in the Department of Applied Botany, Mangalore University, for his help in the study.