Revisiting the taxonomy of Strobilanthes lawsonii and S. pushpangadanii (Acanthaceae), two endemic taxa of Western Ghats, India

摘要

Strobilanthes lawsonii was described by Gamble based on a collection made from Sispara Ghat of Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu. Later researchers reported its distribution in Kerala, and S. gamblei and S. pushpangadanii, two endemic species of the Western Ghats, were synonymised with S. lawsonii during the genus revision in southern India in 2006. During a recent expedition to Muthikulam forest of Palakkad, Kerala the authors collected typical S. lawsonii. After comparing the new collections with S. gamblei and S. pushpangadanii, it was found that both taxa are distinct from S. lawsonii, with the most notable morphological differences being partially fused corolla lobes and exserted stamens. A detailed comparison of the three taxa is provided here, along with color photographs and a taxonomic key for easy species identification.