Impatiens stolonifera (Balsaminaceae): A new scapigerous species from the southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India<br />

Abstract

Impatiens stolonifera, a new scapigerous species of Balsaminaceae from the southern Western Ghats, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically allied to Impatiens scapiflora, but differs by having a stoloniferous tuber and white flowers with conspicuously long and broad spur.

Notes on the extended distribution of Impatiens megamalayana, a recently described balsam in Western Ghats, India

“…Nayar et al (2014) enumerated 106 taxa of Impatiens from the Western Ghats of which 97 are exclusive endemics. More than 30 species have been discovered from various parts of the Western Ghats during the last 10 years (Kumar et al 2011;Dessai & Janarthanam 2011;Narayanan et al 2011Narayanan et al , 2012aNarayanan et al ,b, 2013Hareesh et al 2015a;Prabhukumar et al 2015aPrabhukumar et al ,b, 2016Prabhukumar et al , 2017Ramasubbu et al 2015aRamasubbu et al ,b, 2017Ramasubbu et al , 2020aChhabra et al 2016;Bhaskar & Sringeswar 2017;Manudev et al 2017;Mani & Thomas 2017;Mani et al 2018Mani et al , 2020Arigela et al 2019;Salish et al 2019;Subbiah & Vellingiri 2019;Vishnu et al 2020Vishnu et al & 2021Arya et al 2021). Impatiens species are usually seen in open, wet grasslands and rocky hill slopes at higher elevations and are highly sensitive to micro-climatic conditions.…”

“…Sasidharan (2011) enlisted 80 species from Kerala, of which 17 are endemic to the state. Since then, 24 species have been added to the balsam flora of the state including a new distributional record (Anil Kumar et al 2011;Narayanan et al 2011Narayanan et al , 2012aNarayanan et al ,b, 2013Hareesh et al 2015a,b;Prabhukumar et al 2015a,b;Ramasubbu 2015b;Prabhukumar et al 2016Prabhukumar et al , 2017Manudev et al 2017;Mani & Thomas 2017;Mani et al 2018Mani et al , 2020Salish et al 2019;Vishnu et al 2020Vishnu et al & 2021Arya et al 2021). Joe et al 2017 elevated Impatiens rufescens var.…”

“…The richness of the flora of these hill stations are well evident from the recent botanical discoveries. A number of species have been described or rediscovered from these verdant hills during the last 10-12 years(Sibichen & Nampy 2007;Robi et al 2013;Janeesha & Nampy 2015;Mathew et al 2016;Manudev et al 2017;Balan et al 2019; Krishna et al 2019;. It is important to plan eco-friendly and responsible tourism projects for Urumbikkara and Vagamon to ensure the conservation of the remaining biodiversity and greenery of these beautifull hills.Specimens examined: Kerala, Idukki District, Urumbikkara Hills, 29.viii.2020, Anoop P. Balan & A.J.…”

Discovery of the World’s Smallest Terrestrial Pteridophyte

“…In India, 14 species of Ophioglossum has been reported, of which majority of the species are reported from the Western Ghats regions, one of the diversity hotspot in India and worldwide 11 – 20 . Despite a rich species diversity, Western Ghats is still under-explored region in terms of botanicals with continous sighting and findings of new species, even genera of the pteridophytes and angiosperms 21 – 24 .…”

<i>Impatiens bhimgadensis</i> (Balsaminaceae), a New Species from Karnataka, India

“…, I. kawttyana, I. taimushkulni, I. nilgirica var. nawttyana11 , I. stolonifera12 , and I. mankulamensis and I. panduranganii13 have been discovered.During the floristic explorations by the authors in Talewadi, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, Belagavi district, Karnataka, during September 2014, an interesting species of Impatiens belonging to the Section: 'Annuae' was collected, which is found to be new to science, and the same is described here.Taxonomy. Impatiens bhimgadensis Bhaskar & Sringeswara sp.…”