Murdannia Striatipetala

J. Indian bot. Soc. (2022) Vol.
102 (3) : 266-269 e-ISSN:2455-7218, ISSN:0019 - 4468

https://doi: 10.5958/2455-7218.2022.00018.3 www.indianbotsoc.org
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Extended distribution of lesser known species Murdannia striatipetala: an

addition to the flora of Telangana state, India
P. Bharath Simha Yadav, Ramesh Kandagatla, L. Paramesh, G. Ravi, Y.V.B. Charan, V. Sunitha And V.
Vasudeva Rao
© The Indian Botanical Society
Abstract Murdannia striatipetala Faden (Commelinaceae), a Monocot species with its native range from northern Sri Lanka to
southeastern India, is recorded for the first time from Telangana state. It is an extension of its ecological range from the sea coast to the
interior lands. The species is briefly described with plant images and relevant notes.
Key Words: Addition, Extended Distribution, Flora, Telangana, India
Introduction
Murdannia Royle is one of the largest in closer observations. The voucher specimens
genera of the family Commelinaceae, comprising were preserved in the Herbarium of All-India
about 60 species (Govaerts and Faden 2016, Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management
Pellegrini et al. 2016). The genus is represented by (AINPVPM), Professor Jayashankar Telangana
29 species in India, which constitutes 52% of its State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar,
global diversity (Naik and Rao 2017). Four species, Hyderabad, India.
one subspecies and one variety of Murdannia are
endemic to Peninsular India, or largely restricted to Habitat
southern peninsular India (Ahmedulla and Nayar
1987). The genus is represented by six species in The Chittapur Urban Conservation Block
Telangana state (Pullaiah 2015). is located in Amangal Division, Ibrahimpatnam
Forest Range, Rangareddy district, Telangana state.
While documenting the biodiversity of It has an area of 374 ha, covered by Dry deciduous
proposed urban parks in Telangana state ‒ a project forest and Scrub. It has small streams and wetland
funded by Telangana State Forest Department, the patches. The dominant tree species present are
authors collected interesting specimens of Strychnos nux-vomica L., Gyrocarpus americanus
Commelinaceae in flower and fruit at Chittapur Jacq., Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boivin, Diospyros
(17.176268°N, 78.764908°E), Rangareddy district, chloroxylon Roxb. and Holoptelea integrifolia
in December 2020. After a critical study and based (Roxb.) Planch. and the climbers include
on available literature (Faden 2001), the specimens Asparagus racemosus Willd. and Cocculus
were identified as Murdannia striatipetala Faden. hirsutus (L.) W.Theob. The shrubs are Grewia
The plant habitat, geographical coordinates, flavescens Juss., Helicteres isora L. and Ixora
elevation, soil type and associated species were pavetta. The dominant herbs Vicoa indica (L.) DC.,
noted. Nikon camera was used to snap pictures of and Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex
the plant (Figure 1) and Labomed microscope aided Roth are intermixed with grasses such as
C h r y s o p o g o n f u l v u s ( S p r e n g . ) C h i o v. ,
P. Bharath Simha Yadav Eragrostiella bifaria (Vahl) Bor, Eragrostis viscosa
bharathpochamoni@gmail.com (Retz.) Trin. and Perotis indica (L.) Kuntze. The
species associates of Murdannia striatiopetala are:
All India Network Project on Vertebrate Pest Management, Cyanotis axillaris (L.) D.Don ex Sweet, Cyperus
PJTSAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad ‒ 500 030,
Telangana, India scariosus R.Br., Eragrostis unioloides (Retz.) Nees
Received : 28 December 2021 Accepted : 06 January 2022 Published online : 09 July 2022
J. Indian bot. Soc. Vol. 102 (3) 2022: 267
Figure 1. Murdannia striatipetala: A- Habitat; B-Stem with leaf, b- Roots at nodes; C- Inflorescence; D- Flower dorsal
view; E- Lateral view; F-Ventral view; G- Fruits; H-Seeds
ex Steud., Lobelia alsinoides Lam., Ludwigia and current publications, Murdannia striatipetala
perennis L. and, Spermacoce ocymoides Burm.f., Faden was found not been reported from Telangana
mingled with the invasive Alternanthera ficoidea state, India, a species is known to be native to Sri
(L.) P.Beauv. and Tridax procumbens L. Lanka and Southern India (hitherto to Nellore in
Andhra Pradesh and coastal Tamil Nadu including
Results Pondicherry ) (Nandikar et al. 2011, Dhaarani et al.
2017). Therefore, it is reported for the first time
A perusal of literature on the flora of from Rangareddy district of Telangana state, an
Telangana (Pullaiah 2015, Reddy and Reddy 2016) extended distribution from the east coast to the
interior lands. Notes: ‒ (i) Faden (2000) first described

Murdannia striatipetala from Sri Lanka without
Taxonomic treatment Latin description, and validated it later (Faden
2001). The species was reported to be native of
Murdannia striatipetala Faden in Novon 11(1): coastal habitats in southeastern peninsular India
26.2001. and Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka (Faden 2001).
Presently, it was collected from the sandy soils of a
TYPE: Sri Lanka. Jaffna: Jaffna-Pooneryn ferry stream at about 450 km way from east coast and at
road, mile post 7/4, Arukuveli, ca. 9037'N, 80010'E, 570 m AMSL (against the earlier record of 28 m
just above sea level, 22 Jan. 1977, R.B. Faden & AMSL – Nandikar 2011:68; just above sea level –
A.J. Faden 77/202 (holotype, US 2890333; Faden 2000); (ii) The report of Murdannia
isotypes, E, F, K, L, PDA), n.v. striatipetala from India by Nandikar et al. (2011)
was not a rediscovery of the species but just a
Tufted to unbranched annual herb 20–30 cm tall recollection from the region of the paratypes
with definite base; shoots erect to decumbent and locality (i.e. the former Madras Presidency) after 11
rooting at lower nodes; roots fibrous. Leaf sheaths years since the new species was described in 2001;
0.4–1 × 0.4–0.8 cm, ciliate. Lamina lanceolate to (iii) Murdannia striatipetala is related to M.
oblong lanceolate, 2–3.8 × 0.8–1.2 cm, base dimorphoides Faden on one hand and M. spirata
amplexicaul, hairy, acute apex, both surfaces (L.)G.Brückner, on the other (Faden, 2001). But,
glabrous, margins scabrous. Inflorescence axillary M. striatipetala can be identified even in the filed
or terminal; peduncle 0.8–1.5 cm long; bracteoles by its definite leaf base, narrow leaves, dark-veined
2–5 mm, amplexicaul; flowers hermaphroditic or petals and staminal filaments bearing short-
staminate, 6.5–12 mm wide; pedicle erect, appresssed hairs (Faden 2001: 27).
glabrous, 2.2–6.5 mm; sepals ovate to elliptic
2.4–3.8 × 1.2–2 mm, green, entire; petals ovate- Acknowledgements
orbicular, 3.5–5 × 3–4.8 mm, pale lavender to dark
purple, contrasting veins, crenulate. Stamens 3, The authors are grateful to Professor Dr.
filaments 2.5–4.3 mm long, densely appressed hair Vatsavaya S. Raju (Kakatiya University, Warangal)
in the lower half, anthers oblong elliptic, 0.9–1.2 × for his encouragement and help with the
0.4–0.8 mm; staminodes 3, filament 1.2–1.7 mm preparation of the MS, thankful to PJTSAU,
long, antherodes 3-lobed, 0.3–0.7 × 0.4–0.8 mm, Hyderabad and ICAR New Delhi (AINPVPM,
creamy white. Ovary ellipsoid, trigonous, 1.1 × 0.7 PJTSAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, for facilities
mm, green; style 1.3 mm long, stigma capitates, and Telangana State Forest Deportment,
white. Capsules oblong-ellipsoid, 2.5–4.5 × 1.2–2 Hyderabad, India, for financial support through the
mm, brown. Seeds greyish brown, 5‒7 per locule, project
trapezoidal to rectangular in outline, 0.7–1 × (Proc.No.10877/Res.IV/2019 dated 27.12.2019).
0.8–0.9 mm. (Fig.1)
References
Distribution: GLOBAL: Southern India and
Northern Sri Lanka. INDIA: Andhra Pradesh, Ahmedulla M and Nayar M P 1987 Endemic Plants of
Pondicherry Tamil Nadu and Telangana. the Indian Region 1: 208, 209. Botanical Survey of India,
Calcutta.
Flowering and Fruiting: October‒January.
Dhaarani V, Parthipan M and Rajendran A 2017. Notes
Illustration: Faden in Novon 11(1): 23, Fig. 1 on taxonomy and distribution of M u rd a n n i a
H‒M. 2001. striatipetala Faden (Commelinaceae) in Pondicherry,
India. American Journl of Bio Science 5 (1) 1‒3.
Specimen examined: INDIA, Telangana State, Faden RB 2000 In: M.D. Dassanayake & W.D. Clayton
Rangareddy distr., Chittapur Urban Conservation (eds.), Revised Handbook of Flora of Ceylon 14 163.
Block: 10.12.2020, P. Bharath Simha Yadav 255
(BSID, AINPVPM). Faden R B 2001 New taxa of Murdannia
(Commelinacea) from Sri Lanka. Novon 11(1)
22‒30. Pellegrini M O O, Faden R B and Almeida R F 2016.

Taxonomic revision of Neotropical Murdannia Royle
Govaerts R and Faden RB 2016 World checklist of (Commelinaceae). Phytokeys 74 35–78.
selected plant families. Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew Pullaiah T 2015 Commelinaceae. In: Flora of Telangana.
Http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/(Accessed 15 Sept 2016) Regency Publications, New Delhi 3 941-954
Naik M C and Rao B R P 2017. A new species of Reddy K N and Reddy C S 2016 Flora of Telangana
dewflower Murdannia sanjappae (Commeliaceae) from State, India. Bishen Singh MahendraPal Singh, Dehra
Andaman Islands, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa Dun. 824 pp.
9(11) 10909 ‒10913.
Nandikar M D, Gurav R V and Umesh D 2011.

R e d i s c o v e r y o f M u rd a n n i a s t r i a t i p e t a l a
(Commelinaceae), a little known species from Southern
India with a note on its identity and distribution.
Journal of Bombay Natural History Society 108(1) 67,
68.

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J. Indian bot. Soc. (2022) Vol.

102 (3) : 266-269 e-ISSN:2455-7218, ISSN:0019 - 4468

Extended distribution of lesser known species Murdannia striatipetala: an

interior lands. Notes: ‒ (i) Faden (2000) first described

22‒30. Pellegrini M O O, Faden R B and Almeida R F 2016.

Nandikar M D, Gurav R V and Umesh D 2011.

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