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\begin{document}

\title{A new species of Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae) from central India}



\author[1]{Mujaffar Shaikh}%
\author[2]{Arjun Tiwari}%
\author[3]{Ram  Sikarwar}%
\affil[1]{Gujarati Science College, Indore, MP, India.}%
\affil[2]{Affiliation not available}%
\affil[3]{Department of Environmental Science, AKS University, Satna–485001 Madhya Pradesh, India}%


\vspace{-1em}



  
  \date{May 27, 2024}


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\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{abstract}
The present study reports the discovery of Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis
(Cyperaceae) as a new species from central India. The specimens were
collected from the Pachmarhi hills located in Madhya Pradesh.To aid in
the accurate identification of this species, an extensive taxonomic
description, accompanied by photographic illustrations, a comparative
analysis with similar species, and supplementary notes have been
included. These comprehensive details serve to enhance our understanding
and recognition of this newly discovered plant species.%
\end{abstract}%



\sloppy


\textbf{Introduction}

\emph{Fimbristylis} Vahl is a large genus within the Cyperaceae family,
comprising approximately 316, (Govaerts \emph{et al} ., 2018) and recent
information indicates that the genus now includes around 320 species
(POWO, 2020). These species are predominantly found in tropical and
subtropical regions, with a few occurring in warm temperate areas.
Notably, within India, Karthikeyan \emph{et al} . (1989) documented 90
species (102 taxa) of \emph{Fimbristylis} , while Wadoodkhan (2015)
reported 102 species (123 taxa) from the Western Ghats, West Coast, and
Maharashtra. Additionally, Prasad \& Singh (2002) recorded 115 species
from India. In recent decade, nine new species viz., \emph{Fimbristylis
matthewii} Murugesan \emph{et al} .(2010),
\emph{F.velliangiriensis}Murugesan \emph{et al} .(2010),
\emph{F.clarkei} Kumar \emph{et al} .(2013), \emph{F.pokkudaniana} Sunil
\emph{et al} .( 2016),\emph{F.tuckeri} Viji \emph{et al} .(2016),
\emph{F. pandeyana} Mujaffar, Wad. Khan \& A.P. Tiwari (2017),
\emph{F.murthyi} Yarrayya\&Kumar (2018),\emph{F. agasthyamalaensis} Viji
\& Preetha (2018) and\emph{Fimbristylissunilii,} Sanilkumar\& Nithya
(2021) have also been described. Presently, India is home to a total of
123 species. In central India, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, the genus
is represented by 38 taxa (Khanna \emph{et al} . 2001, Mujaffar \emph{et
al} . 2017, Mujaffar \emph{et al} ., 2019).

During an exploration of the Cyperaceae family in Madhya Pradesh, India,
the authors collected an interesting species of \emph{Fimbristylis} in
the rocky areas of Pachmarhi hills, located in the Hoshangabad district,
Madhya Pradesh. Through careful examination of the collected specimens
and extensive review of relevant literature, including work by Clarke
(1893), Fischer (1931), Karthikeyan \emph{et al} . (1989), Kern (1974),
Koyama (1985), Prasad \& Singh (2002), Shuren \emph{et al.,} (2010)
Wadoodkhan (2015), and Viji and Preetha (2018), the authors confirmed
that this species is distinct from others in the genus. This distinct
species, closely related to \emph{F. aestivalis} (Retz.) Vahl
and\emph{F. griffithii} Boeckeler, is described and illustrated in this
study. Key differentiating characteristics are summarized in Table 1.

\textbf{Materials and Methods}

Fresh specimens collected from the field were used to create Herbarium
sheets, adhering to the established protocols of Bridson \& Forman
(1989). Additionally, specimens were preserved in FAA solution to
facilitate microscopic investigations. The general structure of the
newly discovered species was examined with a stereo binocular
microscope. To ensure accurate morphological comparisons, we consulted
the digital type material housed in CAL, K, G and P collections
(acronyms according to Thiers 2020). In accordance with the IUCN
criteria (IUCN 2017), we present an assessment and rationale for the
conservation status of the species. The International Code of
Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (The Shenzhen Code,
Turland\emph{et al.} 2018) has been used for the nomenclature of a new
species.

\textbf{Taxonomic Treatment}

\emph{Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis} Mujaffar, A.P. Tiwari \& R.L.S.
Sikarwar sp. nov. \textbf{(Fig 1 \& 2)}

\textbf{Diagnosis:} \emph{Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis,} is closely
similar to \emph{F. aestivalis} (Retz.) Vahl, by the hairy nature of the
plant but differs from it in having few, slender culms (vs. densely
tufted culms), inflorescence simple to compound, very loose, bearing
10--20 spikelets (vs. inflorescence decompounds corymb, loose, bearing
numerous spikelets), spikelets terete, 8-14-flowered (vs. angular, to
40-flowered spikelets), glume distichous or lower 2 or 3 spiral,
3-nerved (vs. all glume spiral, nerveless), style triquetrous, pubescent
throughout (vs. style flat, ciliate towards the top) and achenes
obovate, 3.0--5.0 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 2.5--3.0 mm, sparsely tuberculate, apex depressed
(vs. achene obovate-elliptic, 0.5--0.8 × 0.2--0.3 mm, brownish, smooth,
apex rounded). The new species also shows resemblance with \emph{F.
griffithii} Boeckeler in its eligulate leaf and biconvexed achenes.
However, it is quite distinct in having hairy nature of plant (vs.
glabrous nature of plant), inflorescence simple to compound, very loose,
4--6 cm long, bearing 10--20 spikelets (vs. inflorescence decompounds
corymb, loose, 4--10 long, bearing 70--90 spikelets), spikelets terete,
8-14-flowered (vs. spikelets angular, 6--19-flowered), glume distichous
or lower 2 or 3 spiral, 3-nerved (vs. all glume spiral, nerveless),
style triquetrous, pubescent throughout (vs. flat, glabrous throughout)
and achenes sparsely tuberculate, depressed at apex (vs. smooth, rounded
at apex).

\textbf{Type:} India, Madhya Pradesh: Hoshangabad district, Pachmarhi
Biosphere Resereve, Panarpani area (22°25'24.''N; 77° 22' 56''E), 750 m,
17 November 2015, \emph{Mujaffar \& Tiwari} 2514 (holotype CAL!,
isotypes BSA!).

\textbf{Description:} Annual herb, 10--25 cm tall, with fibrous roots.
Culms slender, trigonous, glabrous or pubscent at the top. Leaves mostly
basal, shorter than culm; sheath brown, 1--4 cm long, pubescent,
obliquely truncate at apex; ligule absent; leaf blade 10--20 cm long,
0.5--0.7 mm wide, pubescent on both surfaces, margin sometimes slightly
involute. Inflorescence simple to compound, large, 4--6 × 2--5 cm,
loosely, bearing 10--20 spikelets; involucral bracts 2--5, foliar, 10 cm
long, lowest 2-3 leafy, shorter than inflorescence, brownish, pubescent;
rays 3--8, primary rays, slender, pubescent, filiform. Spikelets
solitary, terete, oblong, elliptic to lanceolate, 3-4 × 0.5--1.0 mm,
acute at apex, yellow to brownish, 8-14-flowered; rhachilla narrowed,
winged, brownish. Glumes membranous, distichous or lower 2 or 3 spiral,
oblong-ovate, 1.5--2 × 1--1.3 mm, acute at apex, glabrous (lower 2 or 3
puberulent), keeled with the prominent midvein excurrent into a mucro,
3-nerved, hyaline towards margins. Stamen 1 or 2; anther oblong-linear,
0.3-0.4 mm long, brownish, apiculate, spurred at base; filament 1-1.2 mm
long, hyaline. Style slender, triquetrous, pubescent throughout, dilated
at base 0.8--1 mm long; stigma 2, hairy, shorter than style,
exserted,\emph{c} . 0.5 mm long, recurved. Achenes whitish or brownish,
biconvex, obovate, 0.8--1 × 0.5--0.6 mm, narrowed towards base with
shortly stipitate, depressed at apex, apiculate, sparsely tuberculate,
shining, surfaces of achenes reticulate, hexagonal or elliptic to
rectangular epidermal cells.

\textbf{Etymology:} The specific name of this species is derived from
its type locality, which is the Pachmarhi Hills situated in the state of
Madhya Pradesh, India.

\textbf{Phenology:} The phenological period for this species occurs
between September and November.

\textbf{Habitat and Associated species:} This species is found in
forests on rocky areas at elevations ranging from 528 to 609 m. It grows
alongside associated species such as \emph{Bulbostylis barbata} (Rottb.)
C.B. Clarke, \emph{Cyperus castaneus} Willd., \emph{Cyanotis
fasciculata} (B.Heyne ex Roth) Schult. \& Schult.f., and \emph{Oropetium
thomaeum} (L.f.) Trin.

\textbf{Distribution:} This species is known only from a single locality
of Pachmarhi Biosphere Resereve, Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh
(Central India).

\textbf{Conservation status} : Based on the available information, this
plant has been tentatively classified as Data Deficient (DD) in
accordance with the IUCN Red List Categories and criteria (IUCN, 2017).
The existing data is insufficient to evaluate the risk factor associated
with this species. Currently, the plant is known solely from its type
locality. To comprehensively assess its distribution, population
numbers, subpopulation numbers, the count of mature individuals across
its entire range, and the percentage of population decline in recent
years, further investigations are required in similar habitats adjacent
to the known areas.

\textbf{Taxonomic note} : \emph{Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis} closely
resembles \emph{F. aestivalis} (Retz.) Vahl due to its hairy
characteristics. However, there are several distinguishing
characteristics that set it apart. Firstly, \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} has
fewer slender culms compared to \emph{F. aestivalis} , which has densely
tufted culms. The inflorescence of \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} is simple to
compound and very loose, bearing 10-20 spikelets, whereas \emph{F.
aestivalis} has decompound corymbs that are loose and bear numerous
spikelets. In terms of spikelet morphology, \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} has
terete spikelets with 8-14 flowers, while \emph{F. aestivalis} has
angular spikelets with up to 40 flowers. Another distinguishing feature
is the arrangement of the glumes: F. pachmarhiensis has glumes that are
distichous or the lower 2 or 3 are spiral and 3-nerved, while in F.
aestivalis, all the glumes are spiral and nerveless. The style
of\emph{F. pachmarhiensis} is triquetrous and pubescent throughout,
while F. aestivalis has a flat style that is ciliate towards the top.
Additionally, the achenes of \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} are obovate,
measuring 3.0--5.0 × 2.5--3.0 mm, sparsely tuberculate, and have a
depressed apex. In contrast, \emph{F. aestivalis} has obovate-elliptic
achenes that are much smaller, measuring 0.5--0.8 × 0.2--0.3 mm.\emph{F.
aestivalis} achenes are brownish, smooth, and have a rounded apex.

While \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} shares some similarities with \emph{F.
griffithii} Boeckeler, such as the eligulate leaf and biconvexed
achenes, there are distinct differences as well. \emph{F.
pachmarhiensis} exhibits a hairy nature, while \emph{F. griffithii} is
glabrous. Additionally, the inflorescence of \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} is
simple to compound, very loose, and measures 4--6 cm in length, bearing
10--20 spikelets. On the other hand, \emph{F. griffithii} has a
decompound corymb inflorescence that is loose and measures 4--10 cm,
bearing 70--90 spikelets. The spikelets of \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} are
terete and 8-14-flowered, while those of \emph{F. griffithii} are
angular and 6--19-flowered. Furthermore, \emph{F. pachmarhiensis} has
distichous or lower 2 or 3 spiral, 3-nerved glumes, a triquetrous and
pubescent style throughout, and sparsely tuberculate achenes with a
depressed apex. In contrast, \emph{F. griffithii} has all glumes spiral
and nerveless, a flat style that is glabrous throughout, and achenes
that are smooth and rounded at the apex.

\textbf{Table 1} The key diagnostic characteristics to
distinguishing\emph{Fimbristylis aestivalis} , \emph{F.}
\emph{pachmarhiensis} , and\emph{F. griffithii} .\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{longtable}[]{@{}llll@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Characters} & F. aestivalis & F. griffithii & F.
pachmarhiensis\tabularnewline
\midrule
\endhead
Culm & Densely tufted, 8--15 cm long, hairy. & Densely tufted, 8--36 cm
long, glabrous. & Few, slender, 10--25 cm long, hairy.\tabularnewline
Leaves & Hairy on both surfaces & Glabrous on both surfaces & Hairy on
both surfaces\tabularnewline
Inflorescence & Decompounds corymb, loose, to 5 cm long, few to numerous
spikelets. & Decompounds corymb, loose, 4--10 long, bearing 70--90
spikelets. & Simple to compound, very loose, 4--6 cm long, bearing
10--20 spikelets.\tabularnewline
Spikelets & Solitary, angular, ovoid or oblong-lanceolate, 2--5 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 1--1.5
mm, acute at apex, greenish-brown, densely to 40-flowered. & Solitary,
angular, oblong-ovoid or ellipsoid, 2.5--4 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 1--1.3 mm, acute at apex,
creamy-greenish, 6--19-flowered. & solitary, terete, oblong, elliptic to
lanceolate, 3-4 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 0.5--1.0 mm, acute at apex, yellow to brownish,
8-14-flowered.\tabularnewline
Glumes & Membranous, spiral, ovate, 1.2-1.5x ca. 0.7 mm, acute at apex,
glabrous, keeled, nerveless. & Membranous, spiral, elliptic or
ovate-lanceolate, 1.3--1.6 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 0.6--1 mm, keeled, nerveless. & membranous,
distichous or lower 2 or 3 spiral, oblong-ovate, 1.5--2 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 1--1.3 mm,
acute at apex, glabrous (lower 2 or 3 puberulent), keeled,
3-nerved.\tabularnewline
Stamen & One & One & One or two\tabularnewline
Style & Flat, ciliate towards the top & Glabrous throughout &
Triquetrous, pubescent throughout\tabularnewline
Achene & Obovate-elliptic, 0.5--0.8 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 0.2--0.3 mm, brownish, smooth,
rounded at apex. & obovate, 0.5--0.7 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 0.3--0.4 mm, smooth, rounded at
apex. & Obovate, 3.0--5.0 \selectlanguage{ngerman}× 2.5--3.0 mm, sparsely tuberculate, depressed
at apex.\tabularnewline
\bottomrule
\end{longtable}\selectlanguage{ngerman}

\textbf{References}

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(Cyperaceae) from Tamil Nadu, India. \emph{Journal of Japanese Botany}
93 (3): 198--201.\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{figure}[H]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.70\columnwidth]{figures/image1/image1}

\end{center}
\end{figure}

\textbf{Figure 1.} \emph{Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis} Mujaffar,
A.P.Tiwari \& R.L.S. Sikarwar sp. nov. \textbf{A.} Habit; B.
Culm;\textbf{C.} Inflorescence; \textbf{D.} Spikelet; \textbf{E.} Glume
-- ventral view; \textbf{F.} Glume -- lateral view; \textbf{G.} Glume --
dorsal view; H. Style; \textbf{I.} Stamen; \textbf{J.}
Gynoecium;\textbf{K.} Achenes.\selectlanguage{english}
\begin{figure}[H]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=0.70\columnwidth]{figures/image2/image2}

\end{center}
\end{figure}

\textbf{Figure 2.} \emph{Fimbristylis pachmarhiensis} Mujaffar,
A.P.Tiwari \& R.L.S. Sikarwar sp. nov. \textbf{A.} Habit; B. Culm
showing hairs; \textbf{C.} Spikelets; \textbf{D.} Glume -- ventral
view;\textbf{E.} Stamen; \textbf{F.} Gynoecium; \textbf{G.} Achenes.

\selectlanguage{english}
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