Taxonomic Notes on a Rare Parasitic Plant Striga Gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke Var. Minor Santapau and its Comparative Taxonomy with Type Var. Gesnerioides

ABSTRACT: Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke is a common root parasite found in wild on roots of Euphorbia caducifolia in Indian Thar Desert.  Santapau reported its new variety i.e. minor from the Khandala Maharastra. Later on Bhandari M.M. reported this rare var. from N.W. Rajasthan however there are little information is available on it and not much taxonomic description and herbarium sheet as well as digital photographs are available on online platform. Hence the present investigation was done to hunt this rare variety for its proper description and documentation for easy identification. By the current investigation I have successfully re-reported this variety from Indian Thar Desert after three decades from a new site. The newly collected site has been geo tagged for future researchers. Efforts were made to give a proper description and digital photographs of each part in detail, with the comparative taxonomy of its type variety gesnerioides and new keys has also been given for easy identification.