Koulium Genus nov. and Koulium psammogetifolium Sp. nov. (Apiaceae; Pimpinelleae) from Jammu, India

Abstract

Koulium, a newly discovered monotypic genus of the family Apiaceae from the south-west of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India, is described and illustrated. It thrives in open areas, wastelands along rivers, and sandy beds. The new genus is related to Aphanopleura, Psammogeton, and Pimpinella but differs from them in that it has a thick, deep yellow root, fruits with intermixed hairs that are simple and T-shaped, petals sparsely pubescent on the outside, small vittae that are one under each furrow, ridges obscure, and fruits that have a subpentagonal cross section, oblong or elliptic, broader above, gradually narrow below. A diagnostic key, photos, illustrations, a distribution map, comparative characteristics (Table 1), and its closely related genera are provided.