A new species of Litsea (Lauraceae) from Kerala part of Western Ghats, India

Abstract

A new species of Litsea from India is described and illustrated. Litsea indoverticillata is recognized from the Malabar Wildlife sanctuary of Nilgiri phytogeographical zone of southern Western Ghats. It is distinguished from the closely related L. quinqueflora and L. verticillata by straggling shrub habit; 7–15 mm long, glabrous petiole, chartaceous and glabrous leaves, glabrous midrib; 15–24 pairs of lateral veins; solitary, glabrous, and pruinose inflorescence; greenish-white to whitish flowers.

Extended distribution of Litsea keralana Kosterm. (Lauraceae) – an endemic and threatened species of the Western Ghats

“…300 species in Lauraceae, which forms an important component in tropical forests with its pantropical distribution (Robi et al, 2015). So far, 49 species have been published from Indian forests, including three discoveries from the Western Ghats in the last five years (Robi et al, 2017; Robi and Udayan, 2021; Udayan and Robi, 2017). The Western Ghats, one of the biologically diverse and floristically rich eco‐regions, are home to many Litsea species.…”

Litsea Anamalayana (Lauraceae) a New Species From Nelliyampathy Hills, India.

“…While revising the Lauraceae of South India, a species of Litsea was collected from the evergreen forests of Nelliyampathy in the district of Palakkad, Kerala. A detailed literature search (Hooker, 1886;Ganesan, 2011;Robi et al, 2015Robi et al, , 2017Robi & Udayan, 2021) was carried out and specimens from CALI, KFRI, MH and RHT (herbarium codes follow Thiers et al, continuously updated) were examined using a binocular microscope and compared with specimens and literature of Litsea species recorded from South India. This confirmed that the specimen belongs to Litsea and showed that it morphologically resembles Litsea glabrata (Wall.…”