Rediscovery, resurrection and lectotypification of endemic Isoetes sampathkumarnii L. N. Rao from India

Abstract

An interesting species of Isoetes was collected from Jambughoda, Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. After a review of literature and comparison of the morphological characters with type specimens, it was identified as I. sampathkumarnii L. N. Rao. It is endemic species of south India and rediscovered after a lapse of 63 years. The species shows several features that make it unique in the genus. Earlier, I. sampathkumarnii was also treated as synonym of I. coromandelina L.f. and I. sahyadrii Mahabala. However, it has an idiosyncratic velum character and spore ornamentation that makes it different from other species. Hence, the authors resurrected it as a distinct species. The original material is ambiguous hence, a lectotype of I. sampathkumarnii has been designated here.