Summary
A new species, Lepidagathis gandhii (Barlerieae: Acanthaceae), is described based on fresh collections from several localities of the Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu, India. It is morphologically similar to another endemic species, L. spinosa, which has a restricted distribution in Tamil Nadu. A detailed description, illustrations, colour photographs, micrographs of floral parts taken through light and scanning electron microscopes, its taxonomic affinities, a distribution map and IUCN conservation status of the species are provided.
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Acknowledgements
The first two authors are thankful to the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India for funding the Core Research Grant (File Number CRG/2020/001605) and the Principal and Head of the Department of Botany, Madras Christian College (Autonomous), Chennai for facilities. Authors are grateful to Dr A. A. Mao, Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata; Dr M. U. Sharief, Scientist ‘F’ & Head of Office, BSI, SRC, Coimbatore, for facilities. Authors are thankful to the Curators and Directors of B, BM, BSI, C, CALI, E, G, K, L, MH, NY, P, RHT, S, SKU, SUK and US for granting permission to consult the specimens either personally or access to the digital images. The authors are also grateful to: Dr R. Manikandan, Scientist ‘E’, BSI, SRC, Coimbatore, Mr V. Ramesh, Photographer, BSI, SRC, Coimbatore, and Mr V. Thirumurugan, Research Fellow, Department of Botany, Madras Christian College (Autonomous), Chennai, for help with the field trips and preparing the photographic plate and map, respectively.
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Gnanasekaran, G., King, A.F.J., Kasim, S.M. et al. Lepidagathis gandhii (Barlerieae: Acanthaceae), a new species from Tamil Nadu, India. Kew Bull 78, 203–212 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-023-10086-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-023-10086-z