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Zenodo
2025
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16716594 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p><b><i>Clinopodium kewensis</i> R.Chandra & Ö. Güner, <i>sp. nov.</i> (Figs. 2–4)</b></p><p><b>Type:—</b> INDIA, Middle Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Kangra District, Dhauladhar Mountains, hill slopes, 2100–2200 m, 29 September 2024, <i>R.Chandra</i> 104 (holotype: Calicut university, isotypes CALI, Hb. R.Chandra).</p><p><b>Diagnosis:—</b> <i>Clinopodium kewensis</i> differs from <i>C. gracile</i> with its densely retrorse white pubescent stem, calyx teeth shape, corolla tube, fewer flowers in verticillasters, linear bract larger than pedicel, ellipsoid nutlet, leaf ovate, margin shallowly serrate, rootlet rhizome.</p><p><b>Description:—</b> Many-stemmed, perennial, rhizomes are woody and slender. Stem 17–25 cm long, ascending, brittle, slender, twisted, densely retrorse, white pubescent. Leaves ovate 6–20 × 2–13 mm, rounded at base, obtuse or acute at apex, margin shallowly serrate, sparsely pubescent at both surfaces; densely ciliate at leaf margins. veins 4–5 pairs, substantially visible on both surfaces, not reaching to margins, camptodromous; petiole generally 2–7 mm long. Inflorescence lax with 2–6 verticillaster; semi-globose, 1.2–1.8 cm in diameter; peduncle generally 3 mm; floral leaves entire, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces; densely ciliate at leaf margins; apex bract-like. Bracts linear, about 5 mm, longer than pedicel, ribbed, white ciliate. Flower 2–6 per verticillaster. Pedicel up to 2–7 mm long. Calyx bilabiate, tubular, 11 veined, 7 mm long, glandular-pubescent, veins and teeth minutely hispid; upper teeth 3, subtriangular, short awned; lower teeth 2, subulate, awned. Corolla 1.2 cm long, tube straight, exceeding the calyx, slightly curved outward, to 3 mm wide at the throat. Stamen 4, didynamous, included in corolla; lower pair longer than upper, about 4 mm long. Carpel about 10 mm inside the corolla tube. Nutlets smooth, ellipsoid, brown, up to 3–5 mm long.</p><p><b>Etymology:—</b> The species epithet is derived from the name of the world’s largest botanical garden, The Royal Botanic Gardens, also known as Kew Gardens, in Kew, London.</p><p><b>Phenology:—</b> This new species flowers in August-September, and fruits in September-October.</p><p><b>Distribution:—</b> <i>Clinopodium kewensis</i> naturally grows in the Northwestern Himalayas in the Dhauladhar mountain range of Himachal Pradesh, India. (Fig. 1).</p><p><b>Habitat and ecology:—</b> <i>Clinopodium kewensis</i> is distributed on the hillside at 2100–2200 m. The new species shares the taxa with <i>Cedrus deodara</i> (Roxburgh ex D.Don) G. Don (1830: 388), <i>Fragaria nubicola</i> (Lindley ex Hook. f.) Lacaita (1916: 467), <i>Rhododendron arboreum</i> Smith (1805: 9), <i>Stellaria palustris</i> Ehrhart ex Hoffmann (1791: 152), <i>Persicaria capitata</i> (Buchanan-Hamilton ex D.Don) H. Gross (1913: 277), <i>Oxalis corniculata</i> Linnaeus (1753: 435), <i>Rostellularia diffusa</i> (Willdenow Nees (1847: 371), <i>Hedychium coronarium</i> J. Koenig (1783: 73) and <i>Flemingia procumbens</i> Roxb. (1832: 338).</p><p><b>Conservation status:—</b> The new species is locally endemic to India and found in the hillside of the forests of <i>C. deodara</i> and <i>R. arboreum</i>. A trek to Triund Hills is a popular tourist destination in the Kangra district. This trek is not that much exposed to human pressure, but visitors are there between May to October, which poses a threat to the only known population of this species. Fewer than 50 mature individuals were observed in the area, which covers less than 5 km ². The new species is assessed as critically endangered—CR [B1ab(i, ii, iii)+2ab(i, ii, iii)] according to criterion of the IUCN Red List Criteria (IUCN 2017).</p>