Cinnamomum Alexei kosterm. (Lauraceae) - A new record for India

Abstract

While contemplating the systematic monographic studies on the genus Cinnamomum of south India, the authors stumbled upon an interesting specimen from the Ponmudi hills, in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR), of the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. It is so peculiar by the betel smelled leaves and presence of 2-celled anthers in all three stamen whorls. These characters are very interesting since such species were not reported from India and that prompted us for a detailed study on the specimens. Perusal of literature (Gamble, 1924; Kostermans, 1983, 1986) it was identified as C. alexei Kosterm., a species so far known only from western Java in Indonesia (Kostermans, 1969). The identities were further cross-matched with the type specimen (Buwalda, 3618, see http://145.18.162.53:81/c8) housed at the National Herbarium, the Netherlands (L). C. alexei was originally reported from Tjiharum, G Karang near Tjidadap at an altitude of 1000-1300 m. Besides this, there are two more gatherings of this species from Mount Buleud near Tjidadap, south of Tjibeber at an altitude of 1000 m. and Tjadasmalang near Tjidadap at Western Java in Indonesia. All these collections were housed at Herbarium Bogoriense, Bogor, Indonesia (BO). Kostermans (1969) stated that this species has been collected earlier in three times from its original habitat and his further stab to relocate it in the same locality was unsuccessful. The forest along with its habitat has been destroyed completely due to developmental activities. The discovery of this species in southern India, far away from Indonesia, is of very important because the species was believed to be vanished out from its type locality. It is also significant in phytogeographical point of view as it further shows the phytogeograhical affinities to Indian flora. We observed only one tree in the present locality (Ponmudi hills) and a few saplings were successfully raised and conserving at our field gene Bank at Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI). The occurrence of this species in Kerala hence forms a new distributional record for India. Therefore, it is reported here with a detailed description, illustration and other relevant notes based on the present collection for its easy identification in the field. © 2011 Bangladesh Association of Plant Taxonomists.