ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 3, pp: (9-11), Month: July - September 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
DISTRIBUTION OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES – BURMANNIA INDICA JONKER. (BURMANNIACEAE) Kanivalan I, Rajendran A* Plant Systematics Laboratory, Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University,Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641046 *Corresponding Author Email Id: arajendran222@yahoo.com
Abstract: The present study identified the critically endangered species, Burmannia indica Jonker, Burmanniaceae in Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu for the first time. It provides the detailed description, photographs of original habitat and associated plants for easy identification. Keywords: Burmannia indica, Critically endangered, Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu.
1. INTRODUCTION Burmanniaceae is characterized as saprophytic with the life form is more accurately as mycotrophic or mycoheterotrophic [1]. Some photosynthetic species have been shown to be endomycorrhizal and also as hemi-saprophytic [2, 3, 4]. It is generally unbranched stems, some lacking leaves. This family occurs in tropics and subtropical distribution and number of species are threatened. The genus Burmannia L. comprises about 59 species in world. In India, it records 4 species from Western Ghats of India, among them Burmannia indica being critically endemic to India. Jonker [5] was first described Burmannia indica, homogenous collection of Meebold’s in 1909 from Peermade (Idukki, Kerala) in his monograph of Burmanniaceae. Hazra [6] in Fascicles of Flora of India and Sasidharan [7] mentioned the occurrence of species based on previous collection and as an endemic to Kerala. There was no subsequent collection of this species anywhere from south India after the original collection by Meebold in 1909 [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. Dani Francis et al [13] reported B.indica from Meenuliyanpara, Idukki district, Kerala which was different of type locality of Meebold. During the field exploration in the Meghmalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu and identified the species from the study area as a new distributional record to State flora of TamilNadu.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS During floristic survey in Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Southern Western Ghats of Theni district, Tamil Nadu plants were collected. Specimens prepared as Herbarium and deposited in Bharati Herbarium, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimnbatore, Tamil Nadu. The distribution and abundance of the species were observed by frequent field trips to the study area. The identity of the species was confirmed in comparison with the types, protologues of related species and herbarium specimens deposited at K and MH. Provisional conservation status assessments were based on IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria [14]. TAXONOMIC TREATMENT Burmannia indica Jonker, Meded. Bot. Mus. Herb. Rijks. Univ. Utrecht. 51: 161. 1938; Hajra in Nayar et al., Fasc. Fl. Ind. 19: 12. 1988. Mohanan and Henry. Fl. Thiruvanathapuram. 1994. Sasidharan. Flowering plants of Kerala. 2011.
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