Taiwania, 57(1): 82-84, 2012 NOTE Rediscovery of Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke (Myrsinaceae) from Assam, India H. A. Barbhuiya(1*), B. K. Dutta(2), A. Kr. Das(2) and A. K. Baishya(3) 1. Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong-793003, India. 2. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar-788011, India. 3. Botanical Survey of India, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700064, India. * Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] (Manuscript received 26 June 2011; accepted 12 July 2011) ABSTRACT: The paper deals with the rediscovery of Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke an interesting endemic and threatened taxon. It is rediscovered from Assam, India after a gap of about 138 years. A detailed taxonomic account of the species has been provided to facilitate its easy identification. KEY WORDS: Ardisia keenanii, Assam, Critically Endangered, rediscovery. INTRODUCTION leaf blade oblong 10-18 × 2.8-5.0 cm, glabrous above rusty v illo us be nea th, na rrowe d at b oth ends, lateral Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke was described by nerves 12 – 15 on either half of the mid-vein, nerves Clarke (1882) on the basis of collection made by him prominent beneath, margin slightly dentate or wavy, from Manipur on May 17, 1868 and by R. L. Keenan apex acute. Inflorescence in lax pedunculate elongated from Gopal Tilla Tea Estate in Cachar district of Assam racemes. Peduncle 2.5 – 5.0 cm pubescent, on one on June 11, 1873, along with a short diagnosis of the branchlet divaricate from near its apex, on the other plant. This species could never be collected again since ascending from a lower axil. Flowers 1.3 – 1.4 cm in its original collections, neither from its type locality nor diam., bud ca. 0.8 × 0.4 cm, pedicels 1.8 – 2.5 cm, elsewhere. Kanjilal et al. (1939) recorded the plant in pubescent. Sepals 5, contorted, orbicular, 1.8 – 2 mm, Flora of Assam based on Clark’s report only. glabrous, green. Petals 5, pink, connate at base ovate, 7 – Recently during an exploration near Kalaincherra, 8 × 3 – 3.2 mm, apex acute. Stamens subequalling petals; Borail Wild Life Sanctuary in Cachar district of Assam filaments ca. 1/5 anther length; anthers on May 09, 2011, the first author has encountered with oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, apex acute. Carpel ca. 7 – 8 very few mature individuals of Ardisia sp. Subsequent mm, green, ovary glabrous, ovoid, ca. 1.8 × 1.5 mm, critical study and verification with the photograph of style filiform 5.5 – 6.0 mm. Fruits not seen. authentic specimens deposited at Royal Botanic Garden, Flowering and Fruiting: April – September. Kew [available at http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/navigator. Specimen examined: Terrestrial, growing in association with do], revealed the identity of the plant as Ardisia Euonymus glaber Roxb., Mikania scandens Willd. etc., Assam, Cachar: keenanii – an endemic species confined to Assam and Borail Wild Life Sanctuary, near Kalaincherra area, (25º01'11.36''N Manipur state after a gap of about 138 years. However and 92º30' 17.75''E, altitude ca. 77 m), 9 Apr. 2011, H. A. Barbhuiya the existence of the above species in second state is 653 (ASSAM); Cachar, Gopal Tilla T.E., 11 June 1873, R. L. Keenan uncertain. The herbarium specimen of the species s.n. (K). Manipur, 17 May 1868, C. B. Clarke 7065 (K). Distribution: INDIA: Assam (Cachar), Manipur. preserved at ASSAM Herbarium, Botanical Survey of Endemic. India, ERC, Shillong, Meghalaya. Conservation status: Severely fragmented population, TAXONOMIC TREATMENT area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 km2, while the population size estimated to number fewer than Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 40 mature individuals. Following the IUCN Red List 3: 526. 1882; Kanjilal et al. Fl. Assam 3: 536. 1939. Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2001), this species may Fig. 1 be classified as Critically Endangered (CR), based on the Shrub up to 1.5 m high; branches densely criteria B2a and D, while there is degradation of the rusty-villous round. Petiole 0.5 – 0.7 cm long, pubescent; habitat (B2b(iii)) due to slash-and-burn cultivation. 82 March, 2012 Barbhuiya et al.: Rediscovery of Ardisia keenanii from India Fig. 1. Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke. A: Habit. B: Inflorescence. C & D: Flower. E: Calyx. F: Sepals. G: Calyx with Gynoecium. H: Corolla. I: Androecium. J: Gynoecium. 83 Taiwania Vol. 57, No. 1 Ardisia keenanii is closely allied with A. solanacea. LITERAURE CITED However, former is clearly distinct from the latter by having rusty-villous round stem and branches, oblong Chen, C. and J. J. Pipoly. 1996. Myrsinaceae. In: Wu, Z.-Y. leaf blade, with slightly dentate margin, abaxially rusty and P. H. Raven (eds.), Flora of China 15: 1-38. Science pubescent, villous elongated racemes, with glabrous Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. calyx segments while A. solanacea is characterized by Louis, U.S.A. angular glabrous branchlets, elliptic or oblanceolate leaf Clarke, C. B. 1882. Myrsinaceae. In: Hooker, J. D. (ed.) Flora of British India 3: 507-534. L. Reeve and Co., London, blades, margin entire, abaxially punctate, paniculate with U.K. racemose or corymbose inflorescence (Chen and Pipoly, IUCN. 2001. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria Version 1996). 3.1. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland & Cambridge, UK (http://www.iucnredlist.org/technicaldocuments/categories- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and-criteria/2001-categories-criteria). Kanjilal, U. N., A. Das, P. C. Kanjilal and R. N. De. 1939. The first author is grateful to the Director, Botanical Flora of Assam Vol. 3. Government of Assam, Shillong, Survey of India, Kolkata and Head Eastern Regional Centre, India. BSI, Shillong for facilities and encouragement. 印度阿薩姆 Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clarke（紫金牛科）的再發現 H. A. Barbhuiya(1*), B. K. Dutta(2), A. Kr. Das(2) and A. K. Baishya(3) 1. BotanicalSurvey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong-793003, India. 2. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar-788011, India. 3. Botanical Survey of India, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700064, India. * 通訊作者。Email: [email protected] (收稿日期：2011年6月26日；接受日期：2011年7月12日) 摘要：本文處理一種使人注目且特有的瀕危植物 – Ardisia keenanii C.B. Clake 其再發現。 該物種在消失後的第 138 年，被重新發現生長於印度阿薩姆邦。本文提供了詳細的物種分 類特徵及描述以利其辨識區別。 關鍵詞：Ardisia keenanii、阿薩姆邦、極度瀕危、再發現。 84