Septemeranthus(Loranthaceae), a new monotypic genus from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India and its relationship with allied genera

Abstract

A new showy mistletoe genus, Septemeranthus L.J. Singh with a type species, S. nicobaricus L.J. Singh sp. nov., is described and illustrated from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It is an aerial branch hemi‐parasite on Horsfieldia glabra (Blume) Warb. (Myrsticaceae). The conservation status, host inventory, germination ecology and remarks on its relationship with allied genera are given. Septemeranthus is distinct in vegetative morphology, inflorescence architecture and floral characters: leaves with long apex, camptodromous venation, coraceous, 5 bracts with brown margins, 3‐7 flowered racemose, 7 merous flowers, urceolate ovary, earthen pot shape fruits with prominent bracts and seeds with dark vertical streaks.

Dendrophthoe longensisL.J. Singh, A new species ofDendrophthoe(Loranthaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

“…Diversified preference and specificity of host for loranths mistletoes have been recorded time to time by various authors (Barlow, 1997; Barlow & Weins, 1977; Bernys & Graham, 1988; Downy, 1998; Hawksworth, 1983; Hawksworth & Wiens, 1996; Norton & Carpenter, 1998; Shaw, 1994; Singh, 2021; Singh et al, 2016; Singh, Ekka, et al, 2020; Singh & Murugan, 2013; Singh & Ranjan, 2013; Turner, 1991). D. longensis does not show any kind of resemblance or mimicry with their preferred host, however, an endemic and rain forest species of ANIs, D. laljii exhibits high degree of mimicry with their host specificity, Artocapus heterophyllus in leaf form.…”

“…D. longensis does not show any kind of resemblance or mimicry with their preferred host, however, an endemic and rain forest species of ANIs, D. laljii exhibits high degree of mimicry with their host specificity, Artocapus heterophyllus in leaf form. Only some mistletoe are known to infect a single host species alone, with the usual behavior and reported as mimicry (Barlow, 1997; Barlow & Weins, 1977; Hawksworth, 1983; Hawksworth & Wiens, 1996; Singh, 2021). Barlow (1997) stated that in any rain forests any resemblance between leaves of loranths and their host is probably convergence in response to habit conditions rather than a genuine mimicry.…”

“…Earlier taxonomic accounts on the mistletoe family Loranthaceae record c. 79 genera (Barlow, 1997; Kuijt, 2013; Kuijt & Hansen, 2015; The Plant List, 2013 Version 1.1). The more recent taxonomic enumeration by Singh (2021) added a monotypic genus from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANIs) of India. In India, the family is represented by 9 genera, among them 5 are recorded from the ANIs (Singh, 2021).…”

“…ANI's are a phyto‐geographically important group of 572 Islands, constitute one of the hotspots of biodiversity and are well known for its rich and unique plant diversity with high endemism in India (Singh et al, 2014; Singh, Dwivedi, et al, 2020; Singh, Ekka, et al, 2020, 2021; Singh & Misra, 2020; Singh, Ranjan, et al, 2020, 2021; Singh, Vivek, et al, 2020). Taxonomic studies on Loranthaceae in the country by various workers carried out in the recent past years have led to discovery of novelties, most of them from the tropical zone of the Andaman Islands (Rajsekaran, 2012; Singh, 2013a, 2013b, 2015, 2021; Singh et al, 2014, 2016; Singh & Murugan, 2013; Singh & Ranjan, 2013; Singh, Ranjan, et al, 2020; Singh, Vivek, et al, 2020; Sivaramakrishna et al, 2021), The flora of Andaman group of Islands are closely related to the taxa of south east Asia and mainland India while those of the Nicobar group of Islands exhibits general affinities toward the taxa of Malaysia (Singh et al, 2014; Singh, Ekka, et al, 2021).…”

Some Sacred Plants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

“…The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are rich and unique phytogeographical region in India with higher number of endemism 2020a, b, 2021a2020;Singh;2021). It is divided in to two groups of Islands, Andaman and Nicobar.…”