NINE NEW TAXA AND A NEW COMBINATION IN LAURACEAE FROM INDIA AND MYANMAR

Nine new taxa belonging to the genera Actinodaphne Nees, Beilschmiedia Nees, Cinnamomum Schaeff. and Cryptocarya R. Br. of the family Lauraceae are described and illustrated from India and Myanmar. One new combination of the family has also been appended. Introduction During the course of a taxonomic study of the family Lauraceae of India and its adjoining countries the author came across some interesting specimens of Actinodaphne Nees, Beilschmiedia Nees, Cinnamomum Schaeff. and Cryptocarya R. Br. deposited at CAL and PBL which on critical studies were found to be of nine new taxa. They are described and illustrated here. Beilschmiedia tirunelvelica Manickam et al. is transferred to the genus Potameia A. Thouars. New taxa 1. Actinodaphne andamanica M. Gangop., sp. nov. (Plate 1) Actinodaphne sesquipedalis Hook.f. et Thomson ex Meisn. affinis, sed differt foliis latis obovatis non nitidis, basi acutis, fructus cupula nitida, fructibus parvioribus globosis. Holotypus: Dhani reef creek, 29.?.1890, King’s collector s.n. (CAL); paratypus: Namunaghar, 28.6.1890, King’s collector s.n. (CAL). Allied to A. sesquipedalis Hook.f. & Thomson ex Meisn., but differs in having broad, obovate, non-glossy leaves which are acute at base, smooth fruit-cups and smaller globose fruits. Branchlets terete, 5-9 mm in diameter, scales scarred, densely rufus-tomentose, gradually slender, compressed, with shallow longitudinal grooves at upper portion. Bud scales (lowermost) ovate, c 2 × 3 mm, apiculate, puberulous above, upper one deciduous. Leaves in whorls of 3, coriaceous, dark greenish-brown, glabrous above, reddish-brown or brown, tomentose on main veins beneath, obovate or elliptic, 21-38 × 7.2-15.0 cm, sub-equally acute at base, entire, strongly incurved along margin, acuminate (acumens E-mail: mgangopadhyay55@rediffmail.com


Introduction
During the course of a taxonomic study of the family Lauraceae of India and its adjoining countries the author came across some interesting specimens of Actinodaphne Nees, Beilschmiedia Nees, Cinnamomum Schaeff.and Cryptocarya R. Br. deposited at CAL and PBL which on critical studies were found to be of nine new taxa.They are described and illustrated here.Beilschmiedia tirunelvelica Manickam et al. is transferred to the genus Potameia A. Thouars.
Allied to A. sesquipedalis Hook.f.& Thomson ex Meisn., but differs in having broad, obovate, non-glossy leaves which are acute at base, smooth fruit-cups and smaller globose fruits.
The species has been named after its collector Mr. F.B. Manson.
Allied to A. glomerata (Blume) Nees, but differs in having glabrous branchlets and leaves; leaves with fine close scalariform tertiary nerves beneath, and shorter pedicels.

Distribution: India (Nicobar Islands).
Habitat: Grows in the inland forests at about 175 m altitude on clayey loam.
According to the collector, the plant is common in Nicobar Islands but author could not find any other specimen from the locality, in the herbaria consulted, except the type.Allied to B. fagifolia Nees, but differs in having stiff coriaceous leaves with entirely obscure tertiary nerves and minor nervules, and ellipsoid, acute fruits with warty pericarp.

Distribution: India (Andaman Islands).
Habitat: Grows in the inland evergreen forests at about 70 m altitude.

Distribution: India (Andaman Islands).
Habitat: Grows in hill jungles on rocky places.
The fruits of the typical ones are 18-23 mm long and 9-13 mm wide.
Habitat: Grows in the hilly forests.
A duplicate specimen housed at Kew was named by A.J.G.H. Kostermans as C. riparia, but he did not publish it.
The species has been named in the honour of Mr. Charles J. Simons, who made extensive collection of plants mainly in the areas of Assam, Khasia and Mikir hills in north-east India.

New combination
Recently Manickam et al. (2007) have described a new species viz.Beilschmiedia tirunelvelica Manickam et al. from Tamil Nadu, India.But this unique species has been placed erroneously under the genus Beilschmiedia Nees.Beilschmiedia is characterized by trimerous flowers having 9 fertile stamens and 3 staminodes with well-developed filaments as well as inconspicuous decurrent stigma.The description and drawings reveal that B. tirunelvelica belongs to the genus Potameia A. Thouars, as it bears dimerous flowers with 4 fertile stamens in two whorls and 2 staminodes as well as inconspicuous stigma.
According to Kostermans (1957), the genus Potameia has a disjunctive distribution.So far, 19 are known to occur in Madagascar Island and 1 each in Bhutan and China (Hainan).The occurrence of P. tirunelvelica in Tamil Nadu, India is not only a new area of disjunct distribution, but also a new generic record for India.
Allied to B. fagifolia Nees var.fagifolia, but differs in having reddish-brown, glossy leaves with laxly reticulate minor nervules beneath, and larger ellipsoid fruits.