Lepidagathis decumbens N. Dhatchan. & S. Soosairaj, sp. nov. (Acanthaceae), a new species from Tamil Nadu, India

Lepidagathis decumbens N. Dhatchan. & S. Soosairaj, sp. nov. is described and illustrated here from Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, Southern India. This new species is closely allied to L. diffusa C.B. Clarke but differs by erect and decumbent habit, short internodes, long unilateral spikes, glandular sericeous floral parts, and ovoid seeds. Photographs of habit, spikes and flowers, pollen grains, seed SEM are provided, in addition leaf and stem anatomy are compared between the new and allied species and key of Lepidagathis Willd. in Tamil Nadu for easy identification is also provided.

Distribution map   GBIF dataset