EXTENDED DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENDEMIC BONNAYA ESTAMINODIOSA

(LINDERNIACEAE) TO TELANGANA REGION CONNECTING COASTAL ANDHRA

PRADESH, INDIA
Gollamandala Ravi*, Lingala Paramesh, P. Bharath Simha Yadav, Ramesh Kandagatla,
Y.V.B. Charan, K. Swamy, B. Naresh, Vanam Sunitha, I. Aruna Sri, Lokesh Jayaswal1,
R.M. Dobriyal1 and V. Vasudeva Rao
All India Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management, PJTSAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad ‒ 500 030, India
1Telangana State Forest Department, Aranya Bhavan, Saifabad, Hyderabad ‒ 500 004, Telangana, India

*Email (Corresponding author): gollamandala.ravi2@gmail.com

Introduction The specimen citations of Bonnaya estaminodiosa

Blatt. & Hallb. by Mukerjee (1945), Sivarajan & Mathew
During the survey and documentation of (1983), Cook (1996), Fischer et al. (2013) and Liang &
biodiversity at proposed urban conservation blocks in Wang (2014) were all not based on fresh collections.
Telangana state, interesting specimens of Bonnaya were Sasidharan (2011: 242) provided its distribution in
collected in flower and fruit on sandy soil near a small swamps and paddy fields of the Western Ghats. Singh et
stream in Chittapur Urban Conservation Block in al. (2015: 242), in their list of endemic vascular plants of
December 2020. Later, it was collected also from other India, mentioned the distribution of the species Lindernia
Urban Conservation Blocks such as Phulmamidi in estaminodiosa in the Western Ghats (Maharashtra, Goa,
October 2021 and Kadthal in November 2021 of Ranga Karnataka and Kerala). But, Kesavulu & Raju (2005)
Reddy district under similar ecological setting. After a located this taxon near Tada in Nellore district of Andhra
critical study and survey of the literature (Blatter & Pradesh. Since it was not reported from Telangana
Hallberg, 1918; Philcox, 1968; Sivarajan & Mathew, region (Pullaiah, 2015; Reddy & Reddy, 2016), the
1983; Kesavulu & Raju, 2005; Liang & Wang, 2014), the discovery of the species constitutes a new distributional
plant specimens were identified as of Bonnaya record to Telangana state and extended distribution
estaminodiosa Blatt. & Hallb., a scarcely collected little- from adjoining western Maharashtra to eastern Andhra
known endemic species from Peninsular India. Pradesh. The voucher specimens of this species are
preserved in the All-India Network Project on Vertebrate
The genus Bonnaya Link & Otto (Linderniaceae), as
Pest Management (AINPVPM) of Professor Jayashankar
circumscribed currently, comprises 14 species,
Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar,
distributed in eastern tropical Africa, Madagascar,
Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
tropical and subtropical Asia to northern Australia (Liang
& Wang, 2014; POWO, 2022). Fischer et al. (2013)
About the Habitat: Chittapur Urban Conservation
reinstated Bonnaya as a genus sensu Yamazaki (1981)
Block
which was subdued under Lindernia All. on the basis of
morphological, molecular and phylogenetic evidence. Out
It is in Amangal Division, Ibrahimpatnam Forest
of the 11 species reported in sect. Bonnaya in Bonnaya
Range, Telangana state. It has an area of 374 ha
(Liang & Wang, 2014), eight were reported from India.
traversed by small streams and wet patches and
Recently, the new species B. millindi was described from
degraded Dry deciduous forest (Albizia amara) type. The
Maharashtra (Vinod et al., 2019). Among these, only
dominant trees include Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boivin,
three species, viz. Bonnaya antipoda (L.) Druce, B.
Diospyros chloroxylon Roxb., Gyrocarpus americanus
ruelloides (Colsm.) Spreng. and B. oppositifolia (Retz.)
Jacq., Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch., Strychnos
Spreng. are hitherto known from Telangana state
(Pullaiah, 2015; Reddy & Reddy, 2016). nux-vomica L. whereas Grewia flavescens Juss, Helicteres
isora L. and Ixora arborea Roxb. ex Sm. are the common
shrubs. The open ground is inhabited by herbs such as

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Gollamandala Ravi et al.

Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B. Heyne ex Roth and ovoid-globose, rugose with numerous circular
Vicoa indica (L.) DC. with grasses like Chrysopogon fulvus depressions in rows (Plate 1).
(Spreng.) Chiov., Eragrostiella bifaria (Vahl) Bor, Illustration: Kesavulu & Raju, J. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Eragrostis viscosa (Retz.) Trin. and Perotis indica (L.) Soc. 102(2): 254, Fig.1 A‒G. 2005.
Kuntze.
Distribution: INDIA, Endemic to Peninsular India:
Taxonomic treatment Western Ghats (Maharashtra, Karnataka, northern
Kerala: Blatter & Hallberg, 1918; Sivarajan & Matthew,
Bonnaya estaminodiosa Blatt. & Hallb. in J. Bombay Nat. 1983; Cook, 1996), Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
Hist. Soc. 25: 416. 1918; Fischer et al. in (Kesavulu & Raju, 2005) and Telangana (present study).
Willdenowia 43: 220. 2013 ≡ Lindernia estamin- Flowering and fruiting: April ‒ December.
odiosa (Blatt. & Hallb.) Mukerjee in J. Indian Bot.
Soc. 24: 133.1945; Santapau in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Specimens examined: INDIA, Telangana state, Ranga
Soc. 49: 40.1950; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist.: 529. Reddy district, Amangal Division, Ibrahimpatnam Forest
1990; Joseph, Aquatic Angiosperm. Malabar: 227. Range, Chittapur village (17.176268°N; 78.764908°E):
1991; Cook, Wetland Aquatic Plants India: 5: 354. 10.12.2020, G. Ravi 251 (All India Network Project on
1996; M.R. Almeida, Fl. Maharashtra 3B: 403.2001; Vertebrate Pest Management, PJTSAU, Rajendra Nagar,
Kesavulu & Raju in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 102(2): Hyderabad, India). Karnataka: North Kanara, Karwar,
253.2005; Liang & Wang in Australian J. Bot. 27: Rice fields: 10.1919, Hallberg & McCann 34238
198.2014 (BLAT89689) digital image! 10.1919, Hallberg & McCann
34248 (BLAT89690) digital image!
Type: INDIA, Mahim, Bombay Island: Herb. St.
Xavier’s College, no. 1517, Nov. 1916 (BLAT) (n.v.); not Note: (i) The genus Bonnaya is distinguished from
available at BLATT. allied genera by its single pair of clavate staminodes. But,
Bonnaya estaminodiosa Blatt. & Hallb. lacks these
Stem erect, 9‒20 cm. tall, quadrangular, glabrous, staminodes and hence the name; (ii) The orthography of
ascending, branched, rooting at lower nodes. Leaves the name “staminodiosa” and description of the species
opposite, distal ones opposite to a pedicel; sessile, erect, by Sivarajan & Mathew (1983: 134) do not agree with
elliptic-oblong, glabrous, 1.2 ‒ 5.3 × 2 ‒ 5 mm, distantly the protologue of the species, as rightly pointed out by
and shallowly serrate (teeth about 3 mm. apart), midrib Cook (1996); (iii) In comparison to its protologue (plants
prominent, the others obscure, margin with tubercles of 6 cm height, leaves 30 × 5 mm, the bracts as long as
and some minute stiff hairs. Flowers in lax terminal and pedicels, and capsules 10 mm; the fruiting pedicels and
lateral racemes, consisting of about 5 distant pairs of capsules are about four times as long as the calyx
pedicels and, in addition, some solitary leaf-opposed (Mukerjee, 1945), and as per the present study, the
ones below. Bract 1, linear-lanceolate, broad at base, plants are 9‒20 cm tall, leaves 1.2‒5.3 × 2‒5 mm, bracts
acute at tip, tubercle along margin, 2.2 × 1.0 mm, of about and pedicels different in their lengths (bracts 2.2 × 1
the half of the length as the pedicels. Pedicels up to 4‒7 mm) pedicels (4‒7 mm long), calyx 2.5–3.0 mm in flower
mm in fruit spreading, stout, flat above, convex below. and 4 mm in fruit, and capsules can be as long as 8.2‒9.0
Calyx 2.5–3.0 mm long in flower; 4 mm in fruit; divided mm (not more than 5 mm as per Cook, 1996); (iv) While
nearly to the base; lobes 5, subequal, subulate; margins Fischer et al. (2013) recognized Bonnaya estaminodiosa
and midrib scabrous with minute distant stiff bristles. Blatt. & Hallb. whereas Liang & Wang (2014: 198)
Corolla 5 mm, pale pink; tube straight, 3 mm, long, recognized it as Lindernia estaminodiosa (Blatt. & Hallb.)
narrow, not widening, with a few minute capitate hairs; Mukerjee as it does not possess the two clavate
lips about equal in length; upper lip erect, entire slightly staminodes. Notwithstanding, they wrongly mentioned
more than 1 mm, broad, tip rounded, with a few short the type locality (p.198) as “Mt. Abu” in Rajasthan
bristles; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed, lobes about equal, instead of Mahim, Bombay Island, Maharashtra; (v)
tips like that of the upper lip. Stamens 2, partly included; Authentic specimens from North Kanara (also
filaments very short, a little compressed, glabrous; authenticated by C. Saldanha on 25.09.1963 who worked
anther reaching about half-way up the lower lip, 0.5 mm on the ‘Scrophulariaceae of Western Ghats’) are available
long, pollen globose. Anterior staminodes absent. Ovary in BLATT; its distribution in Karnataka was not
ovoid, 1 mm long, glabrous; style 3.2 mm long, stout, mentioned in “Flora of Peninsular India” (Rao et al.,
glabrous, stigma bilamellate, bent over to one side; 0.3 2019); and (v) Curiously, in the recent Checklist of
mm long, lobes broad, one slightly larger. Capsule 8.2‒9 Flowering Plants of India, Garg et al. (2020: 238) not only
mm long, linear-cylindrical; fruiting calyx purplish. Seeds treated this species as Lindernia estaminodiosa but also a
doubtful taxon.

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 Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany (Vol. 46)

Plate 1. Bonnaya estaminodiosa. A ‒ Habit; a: Leaf; B ‒ Flower; C ‒ Inflorescence; D ‒ Bract upper view; E ‒ Bract lower view;
F‒ Calyx; G‒ Fruit calyx; H ‒ Corolla split-open; I ‒ Gynoecium; J ‒ Fruiting twig; K ‒ Capsules; L ‒ Seeds.

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Gollamandala Ravi et al.

Acknowledgements Liang, Yi.S. & Wang, J.C. 2014. A systematic study of Bonnaya
section Bonnaya (Linderniaceae). Australian Systematic
The authors are thankful to Professor Dr Vatsavaya Botany 27: 180–198; http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SB14002.
S. Raju, Warangal, for encouragement, criticism and Mukerjee, S.K. 1945. Revision of Indo-Burmese species of
academic input, Dr Rajendra D. Shinde (Director, Blatter Lindernia Allioni. Journal of Indian Botanical Society 24:
Herbarium, Mumbai) for information on type and supply 127–134.
of digital images of the type material and Dr L. Rasingam Philcox, D. 1968. Revision of the Malesian species of Lindernia
(Botanical Survey of India, Deccan Regional Centre, All. (Scrophulariaceae). Kew Bulletin 22: 1–72. http://doi:
Hyderabad) for help with literature, PJTSAU, Hyderabad 10.2307/4107820.
and ICAR, New Delhi (AINPVPM, Rajendranagar, POWO, 2022. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the
Hyderabad, India) for facilities and the Telangana State Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. www.plantsoftheworld-
Forest Department, Hyderabad, for financial support online.org. (Accessed: 10 November, 2022).
(Proc. No.10877/Res.IV/2019). Pullaiah, T. 2015. Flora of Telangana 3: 1306. Regency
Publications, New Delhi.
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Received: 05.08.2022 Accepted: 01.10.2022 Published: 10.11.2022

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