Eriocaulon shrirangii Chandore, Borude, Bhalekar, Madhav & Gosavi 2022, sp. nov.

Eriocaulon shrirangii Chandore, Borude, Bhalekar, Madhav & Gosavi, sp. nov. (Figs. 1, 2 & 3).

Type:— INDIA. Maharashtra: Ratnagiri District, Rajapur tehsil, Karshingewadi Village 16°34’31.9’’N, 73°31’40.5’’E, 14 September 2018, A. N. Chandore 1582 (holotype CAL!; isotypes BSI!, K!, SUK!)

Diagnosis:— Eriocaulon shrirangii is closely allied to E. belgaumensis with rosulate and linear leaves, length of peduncles, c. 2 mm across heads and cells of seed coat transversely elongated, aligned in vertical rows, but differ having in floral bracts oblanceolate, lobed at apex; 0.85–0.95 × 0.25–0.35 mm (vs. truncate, cuneate, obtuse at apex; c. 0.7 × 0.5 mm), male flower- pedicellate (vs. sessile), female flower-sepals linear-lanceolate (vs. narrowly ovate), female flower-petals hoary at middle and apex (vs. sparsely barbate at apex), seeds oblong-ellipsoid, obtuse at apex, appendages present; appendages 3–5 from the transverse radial wall (vs. ellipsoid, acute at apex, appendages absent).

Annual, acaulescent herbs, 1.0– 1.8 cm high. Roots fibrous, white, 7–12 mm long. Leaves 4.0–9.0 × 0.5–1.0 mm long, rosulate, linear, apex acuminate, glabrous. Peduncles 4 to 6, 1.0– 1.7 cm long, straight, slender, rigid, glabrous, swollen at apex. Sheaths 0.4–0.8 cm long, glabrous; limb ovate, acute at apex, entire, papery along margin. Heads 1.8–2.2 mm across, hemispherical or cuneate, straw coloured or white. Receptacle convex, glabrous. Involucral bracts 0.9–1.1 × 0.7–0.8 mm, erect, oblong-obovate, obtuse, lobed at apex, chartaceous, glabrous, dull black. Floral bracts 0.85–0.95 × 0.25–0.35 mm, oblanceolate, hyaline, lobed at apex, hoary at upper part of the outer face, dull black. Male flowers 0.7–1.0 mm long, pedicellate; pedicel c. 0.15 mm long; sepals cuneate, connate into a spathe, 3 lobed; lobes truncate, hoary at apex, black; stipe of corolla 0.5–0.6 mm long; petals 3, minute, subequal, obovate, obtuse and sparsely hairy at apex, black glands present; anthers 6, black. Female flowers 1.0– 1.2 mm long, sessile; sepals 3, free, subequal, 0.5–0.7 mm × 0.10–0.15 mm, linear-lanceolate, obtuse at apex, with hairs at apex, black; petals 3, black gland present, unequal, one large, 1.0– 1.2 mm long, oblanceolate or spatulate, obtuse at apex, hoary at middle and apex; other two petals 0.6–0.8 mm long, narrowly oblanceolate, obtuse at apex, hoary at middle; ovary sessile, 0.12–0.22 mm long, ovoid; style trifid. Seed 0.33–0.40 × 0.13–0.20 mm, oblong-ellipsoid, obtuse at apex, pale yellow; cells of seed coat transversely elongated, aligned in vertical rows, appendages 3–5 from the transverse radial wall, setiform, minutely dilated at apex.

Habitat: — Eriocaulon shrirangii grows on lateritic plateaus in association with Eriocaulon eurypeplon Korn. (1856: 685), E. konkanense Punekar, Malpure & Lakshmin. (2004: 630), E. parvicephalum Darsh., R.K.Choudhary, Datar & Tamhankar (2017: 235), Dimeria gracilis Nees ex Steud. (1854: 413), D. woodrowii Stapf (1895: 2312), Trithuria konkanensis S.R.Yadav & Janarth. (1994: 18), Drosera indica L. (1753: 282) and Neanotis subtilis (Miq.) Govaerts ex Punekar & Lakshmin. (2011: 255).

Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from July to September.

Distribution:—The new species is found on lateritic plateaus along the margin of seasonal ponds at Chauke, Dongar, Karshingewadi, Sakhar and Vikhare-Gothane in Rajapur tehsil of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra State.

Etymology: —The specific epithet is in honours of Emeritus Scientist Prof. (Dr.) Shrirang Ramchandra Yadav working at Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur for his incredible contribution in the field of angiosperm taxonomy and biodiversity conservation.

Note:— Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) studies of seeds of both species of Eriocaulon shows that, 3–5 setiform appendages are present from the transverse radial wall of seeds Eriocaulon shrirangii sp. nov.; while the appendages are absent in E. belgaumensis.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — INDIA, Maharashtra, Ratnagiri District, Rajapur, Chauke, 30 August 2022, D. B. Borude 855 (SUK!); Ratnagiri District, Rajapur, Vikhare-Gothane, 12 September 2022, A. N. Chandore 2679 (SUK!); D. B. Borude 857 (SUK!); Ratnagiri District, Rajapur, Dongar, 14 September 2022, A. N. Chandore 2686 (SUK!); D. B. Borude 864 (SUK!).