On the Occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India

Abstract

The occurrence of Tripogonella minima in India is discussed and the erroneous identity of Tripogon purpurascens as Tripogonella minima is rectified here

Full text

BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Nelumbo Vol 63 (2): (66-71) 2021 ISSN (Print) : 0976-5069
10.20324/nelumbo/v63/2021/167715 ISSN (Online) : 2455-376X
INTRODUCTION
e genus Tripogon Roem. & Schult. is represented by
51 species (oiba & Pradeep 2020) and distributed
in old world tropics. Tripogon usually occurs in the
moist rocky crevices, shola grasslands and on wet
rocky slopes (Kabeer & Nair 2009, oiba & Pradeep
2020). Molecular phylogenetic studies of the subtribe
Cynodonteae (Poaceae: Chloridoideae), Peterson & al.
2016 established the genus Tripogonella P.M. Peterson &
Romasch. It is a small genus of three species separated
geographically such as Tripogon loliiformis (F. Muell.)
C.E. Hubb. from Australia, T. minimus (A. Rich.) Hochst.
ex Steud. from Africa and T. spicatus (Nees) Ekman
from New World. Peterson & al. (2016) made three new
combinations viz., Tripogonella loliiformis (F. Muell.)
P.M. Peterson & Romasch., T. minima (A. Rich.) P.M.
Peterson & Romasch. and T. spicata (Nees) P.M. Peterson
& Romasch. by transferring the species from Tripogon to
Tripogonella.
TAXONOMIC TREATMENT
Tripogon purpurascens Duthie
Lectotype: INDIA. Uttarakhand, Tehri Garhwal,
Tons valley, 4000–5000. 05 May 1900, J.F. Duthie
23532 (K000907443!); Isolectotypes: B100279879!,
DD!; Syntypes: BM012546532!, BM012546533!,
CAL0000002443!, CAL0000002444!, DD19821!, K00024
5023!, K000245024!, P02268743! (Fig. 1)
Tued perennial, 5.0–40 cm high. Culms simple, erect,
slender, nodes glabrous. Leaf sheaths glabrous with
tus of cilia at apex, basal sheaths brous, persistent
and invested base of culm; ligule 0.1−0.2 mm, truncate-
mbriate with line of cilia (c. 0.9 mm) at junction with
leaf blade. Leaf blade liform, 3.0–15 cm × 0.3–1.0 mm,
adaxial surface densely covered with short, appressed
hairs with longer cilia near margins, abaxial surface
glabrous, oenly purple tinged. Inorescence a single
Nagaraju Siddabathula1*, Ravi Kiran Arigela2, K. Althaf Ahamed Kabeer3 and Sangita Dey4
ABSTRACT
The occurrence of Tripogonella minima in India is discussed and the erroneous identity of Tripogon purpurascens as
Tripogonella minima is rectified here
1Botanical Survey of India, Headquarters, Publication Section, CGO Complex, 3rd MSO Building, DF-Block,
5th & 6th Floor, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 064, West Bengal, India
2Botanical Survey of India, Deccan Regional Centre, Rooms 228–238, Kendriya Sadan, Sultan Bazar, Koti,
Hyderabad 500095, Telangana, India
3Botanical Survey of India, Central Botanical Laboratory, AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103,
West Bengal, India
4Department of Botany, Muralidhar Girls’ College, P411/14, Gariahat Road, Kolkata 700029, West Bengal, India
*Corresponding author: nagaraju.siddabathula@gmail.com
Keywords: Exploration, Grass, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana
On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae:
Chloridoideae) in India
Submitted : 04.12.2021 Accepted : 28.12.2021 Date of Publication 31.12.2021
    (: )    
 ,   ,  .       

                          |

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On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India
upper glumes (2.0–) 2.6–4.5 mm], lemmas (2.0–4.5 mm)
and paleas (2.0–4.0 mm) of T. purpurascens as described
by him are ambiguous, because current authors studied
and referred wide range of specimens from dierent parts
of India and observed that lower glumes, upper glumes,
lemmas and paleas can attain a maximum length of 2.5
mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 2.0 mm respectively.
e specimens of T. purpurascens in the type locality in
Tehri Garhwal, North Western India are characterized
by hairy leaves, 2–3 owered spikelet, 2-lobed lemma
and very short median awn (almost in the form of an
arista). Duthie (1901) mentioned about 2–3 orets in
T. purpurascens and specimens from North Western
Himalayas exhibit this feature (Fig. 2). Phillips and
Chen (2002) observed that spikelets can be 2–6 owered
in T. purpurascens and specimens from Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana (Fig. 3 & 4) are
characterized by 2–6 owered spikelets. A few specimens
of Tripogon purpurascens from dierent herbaria viz.
B, BSD, BSID, CAL, DD, BSJO, K and live collections
(Barcodes-BSID0016962, BSID0016964 & Field nos.
BSJO35279, BSD107068) from the eld were examined.
A detailed description was provided here by referring
both literature (Bor 1958, Phillips & Launert 1971, Cope
1982, Noltie 2000, Chen & Phillips 2006, Siddabathula &
al. 2021) and specimens from dierent regions of India
to resolve this issue. Current authors have also observed
this plant response to edaphic factors in varied habitats.
However, a critical study of T. purpurascens specimens
from India including the one from Telangana (J. Swamy,
9302 [Barcode- BSID0016960]) revealed that they are
nothing but T. purpurascens. Hence, present authors
conclude that specimen of Tripogon purpurascens
(BSID0016960) from Telangana were misidentied as
Tripogonella minima and T. minima do not occur in
India.
Specimens examined: INDIA: Andhra Pradesh, Nellore
district, Veligonda, 07 1914 M.S. Ramaswami 1417 (CAL).
Himachal Pradesh, Shimla district, Simla-Fagu Road,
7500., August 1940 M. B. Raizada 10021 (DD); Kangra
district, Rakh, 20 September 1963, C.L. Malhotra & V.J.
Nair 28036 (BSD); Kullu district, Manali-Kulu, 1700m, 31
July 1970 U.C. Bhattacharyya 40371(BSD); Lahul & Spiti
district, Spiti, Pin Valley National Park, angti, 3700m,
27 August 2002 K. Chandra Sekar 102993 (BSD). Jammu
& Kashmir, Jammu district, Kashmir, Titwal, 3500.,
10.July.1939 R.R. & I.D. Stewart 17410 (DD); Narang,
Wanghat valley, 6–7000., 08 August 1939 R.R. & I.D.
Stewart 18131 (DD); below Palani, 1800m, 23.July.1980,
U.C. Bhattacharyya 71107 (BSD); Kishtwar district,
Kishtwar, hills behind Panchayat Rest house, 29.May.1986
B.P. Uniyal 80305 (BSD); Kote, 27.March.1996, B.P.
Uniyal & S. Singh 91391 (BSD). Madhya Pradesh, Rewa
spike, straight or arcuate, 2.0−15 cm long; rachis angular,
glabrous, scabrid. Spikelets 2.5–4.5 mm, 2-rowed,
sessile, appressed, pale green to purple, fertile orets
2–6 with occasionally one male oret at apex, breaking
up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile oret.
Lower glume 1.0−2.5 × 0.2−0.3 mm, narrowly triangular,
symmetrical, acute, keel minutely hispid; upper glume
2.0−2.5 × 0.3−0.4 mm, oblong-lanceolate, acute, keel
scarious near apex. Lowest oret: lemma 2.0−3.0 ×
0.6−1.0 mm, elliptic, membranous, bid, 3-nerved,
median nerve exserted into a small mucro, 0.3−0.5 mm
long, lateral nerves not extended into awns; palea c. 2.0 ×
0.4−0.5 mm, narrowly-oblong, chartaceous, obtuse, keels
narrowly winged, ciliolate. Lodicules cuneate, c. 0.29 ×
0.14 mm. Stamens 3, anthers 0.8–1.0 mm long. Ovary
c. 0.33 mm, style linear c. 0.47 mm, stigma plumose c. 0.8
mm long.
Flowering & Fruiting: June−September.
Distribution: INDIA: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
& Kashmir, Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttarakhand.
AFGHANISTAN, OMAN, SAUDI ARABIA, YEMEN,
CHINA, MONGOLIA, NEPAL, BHUTAN, PAKISTAN,
THAILAND (WCSP, 2021).
Notes: Tripogon purpurascens was described by Duthie
based on the specimens collected by him from the Tones
Valley, Tehri Garhwal at elevations between 3000–7000
feet, but he did not designate the holotype. However, the
name was inadvertently lectotypied by Cope (1982)
and it has to be accepted. Duthie (1901) mentioned a
discourse by Otto Stapf who in the protologue itself
mentioned that before xing the identity of Tripogon,
the allied genera such as Oropetium Trin. should be
reconsidered. Clayton and Renvoize (1986) mentioned
that Tripogon diers from Oropetium by its spikelets
which are laterally compressed not completely sunken
(vs. sunken in rachis), lemmas mucronate to aristate (vs.
entire), orets more than two, never one (vs. orets not
more than one, sometimes two in O. roxburghianum).
Tripogon diers from Indopoa Bor by its median awn of
lemma straight (vs. geniculate).
Recently, Swamy (2020) reported Tripogonella minima—a
native of Africa from Medak district, Telangana state of
India. He has mentioned the culm is 2.0–5.0 cm long in
his specimen BSID0016960, but the photo plate in his
article shows c. 10 cm long culm. He measured spikelets
as 1.93–3.47 mm long, lower glume acuminate at apex
and upper glume 1.78–1.95 mm long. Current authors
have dissected the oral parts of BSID0016960 and found
spikelet is 1.5–4.0 mm long, lower glume acute at apex and
upper glume 2.0–2.5 mm long (Fig. 3). Measurements of
various oral parts such as, lower glumes (1.5–3.0 mm),

68 www.nelumbo-bsi.org Nelumbo
Nagaraju Siddabathula, Ravi Kiran Arigela, K. Althaf Ahamed Kabeer and Sangita Dey
On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India
Fig. 1: Tripogon purpurascens: A. Lectotype (K K000907443) © the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; B. Isolectotype
(DD) © Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun; C. Syntypes BM012546532 & BM012546533 © e Trustees of the Natural History
Museum, London; D. CAL0000002444 © Botanical Survey of India.
A B
CD

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www.nelumbo-bsi.orgNelumbo
On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India
Fig. 2: Tripogon purpurascens: A. Habit B. Spikelet C. Lower glume D. Upper glume E. Lemma F. Apex of lemma G. Palea H. Apex of
palea I. Androecium; J. Lodicules; K. Gynoecium. (P.K. Pusalkar, BSD 107068). © Botanical Survey of India.
A
I
J
K
E
F
G
H
B C D

70 www.nelumbo-bsi.org Nelumbo
Nagaraju Siddabathula, Ravi Kiran Arigela, K. Althaf Ahamed Kabeer and Sangita Dey
On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India
Fig. 3: Tripogon purpurascens: (1. S. Nagaraju 8709, 2. J. Swamy 9302, 3. K. Chandra Mohan 202) A. part of inorescence,
B & E. spikelet C. lower glume D. upper glume F. lemma, G. palea, H. caryopsis. © Botanical Survey of India.
A A A
B B B
C C CD D D
E E E
F F FG G GH HH

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On the occurrence of Tripogonella minima (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in India
district, Nawagaon, 21.08.1954, K. Subramanyam 8565
(CAL). Maharashtra, Chandrapur district, Devada
forest Camp, 20. August. 1970 B.M. Wadhwa 137425
(BSI); Nagpur district, Kamaleswar range, 674m, 20°
9'59" N 78° 51'32" E, 14.August.2020 K. Chandra Mohan
202 (BSID). Rajasthan, Jaipur district, Gopalpura,
17.July.1976 G.P. Roy 2679; University Campus, s.d.,
Y.D. Tyagi 9; s.loc., s.d., Grith 6644; s. loc., 09.1964
Braun 3138 (CAL); Chittorgarh district, near Sogarani,
24°55'30.79" N 74° 52'43.22" E, 14.August.2017, P. Hari
Krishna & Ramesh Kumar 35279 (BSJO). Telangana,
Vikarabad district, Anantagiri hills, 662m, 17.32393
N 77.87617 E, 21.September.2019, S. Nagaraju 8709
(BSID); Medak district, Chegunta, 564m, 17°58'13.6452"
N 78°26'51.6372" E, 28.June.2020 J. Swamy 9302 (BSID).
Uttarakhand: Chamoli district, on way to Belta, P.K. Hajra
87139 (BSD); India, NW India, Jaunsar, Tons Valley, near
adyar, 3000−4000., 11.May.1897 J.F. Duthie 19784
(BM012546533, CAL0000002444, K000245024); Tehri
Garhwal district, Tehri Garhwal, above Bamgu village,
7000 ., 14.May.1897 J.F. Duthie 19821 (BM012546532,
CAL0000002443, DD); India, NW India, Tehri Garhwal,
Tons valley near adyar, 6000–7000. 18.May.1897,
J.F. Duthie s.n. (K000245023); Tehri Garhwal, Tons
valley, 4000−5000., 5.May.1900, J.F. Duthie 23532
(B100279879!, DD [no barcode], K000907443!);
India, NW India, Tehri Garhwal, Kului Valley, 6000 .,
21.May.1900, J.F. Duthie 23543 (P02268743); Dehradun
district, Dehradun, Robber’s cave, 22.July.1964,
C.R. Babu 33212 (BSD); Tehri, Tehri Ghansali road,
07.August.1992 B.P. Uniyal 80438 (BSD); Pithoragarh
district, Pithoragarh, near Bugling, 23.July.2004 Manish
K. Kandwal 421 (BSD); Uttarkashi district, Gangotri,
Ram Mandir on way to Gomukh, 3150−3200m, P.K.
Pusalkar 107068 (BSD).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
e authors are thankful to the Director, Botanical
Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata, Head of Oce, Botanical
Survey of India, Central National Herbarium, Kolkata,
Head of Oce, Deccan Regional Centre, Hyderabad and
Head of Oce, Southern Regional Centre, Coimbatore
for facilities. We also thank Dr. P.K. Pusalkar, BSI, Pune,
Dr. Peddi Harikrishna, BSI, Jodhpur and Dr. K. Chandra
Mohan, Forest Survey of India, Nagpur for sharing the
plant specimens and information.We are also grateful to
curators of B, BM, CAL, DD, K and P for providing the
digital images and information of type specimens.
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