Peth Kothaligad, September 2021 :: Barleria for ID :: ARK2022-006

[Alka Khare]

Hello friends

This was clicked at Peth Kothaligad hill fort near Karjat, MH in September 2021.

Confused between Barleria montana and B. prattensis.

Requested to please ID.

Thanks and regards

Alka Khare

[radha veach]

I think it is Barleria prattensis. I remember observing it at Peth fort.

Regards

Radha

[Alka Khare]

Thanks Radha ji for the ID.

Regards

Alka Khare

[J.M. Garg]

Corolla tube is white inside in Barleria prattensis and not so in Barleria montana

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[radha veach]

In Santapau's work of 1951, The Acanthaceae of Bombay, there are detailed descriptions of both the species. The main difference is in the seeds, larger and hairy in B. montana, and smaller and glabrous in B. prattensis. He also states that B. montana is not found in the Bombay presidency. 

The colour of the corolla in B. prattensis varies from rosy pink to purple with the colour fading in older flowers. The flowers of B. montana are said to be bright blue.

regards

Radha

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Radha ji, for the details.

Earlier taxonomists depended more on herbarium specimens. 

I have doubts about: 'The flowers of B. montana are said to be bright blue'

Myself observing these two in our database, came to a clear cut conclusion (although I have not seen mentioned anywhere):

Corolla tube is white inside in Barleria prattensis and not so in Barleria montana

Pl. check, you will be surprised to find out. 

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[J.M. Garg]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: radha veach <radha...@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2022 at 11:15
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:412360] Re: Peth Kothaligad, September 2021 :: Barleria for ID :: ARK2022-006
To: J.M. Garg <jmg...@gmail.com>

This would be a very useful and easy distinction. It would need to be verified by collecting seeds of specific plants.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[vip...@gmail.com]

Dear Sir,

It would please you to know that the "whitish" corolla tube does find a mention in the description of B. prattensis in the "Revision of the Genus Barleria (Acanthaceae) in India" by Shankar M. Shendage and S. R. Yadav, published in 2010. I've attached the relevant excerpts of the descriptions of B. prattensis and B. montana from this paper.

I am well acquainted with Santapau's work. These are his precise words regarding B. montana: "The flowers are said to be bright blue". Obviously, he was not writing from first-hand experience on this occasion.

All the authors (past and present) agree that the seeds are the key distinguishing factor between these two species.

On the distribution of B. montana, Santapau wrote that "this plant does not occur in Bombay State, or at least I have failed to find a single authentic specimen". According to the paper on Barleria cited above, it does occur in Maharashtra but to a far lesser extent than B. prattensis.

On close observation of the first two images by Alka ji, the corolla tube is indeed whitish. In fact, the white corolla tube is clearly visible in the side view of the topmost flower in the photograph labelled "Barleria_Kothaligad3.JPEG". If we are to rely on this character in the absence of seeds, it would be fair to consider this plant as B. prattensis.

Best wishes, Viplav

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[J.M. Garg]

Thanks a lot, Viplav ji, for further valuable inputs.

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With regards,
J. M. Garg

[Alka Khare]

Thanks so much Radha ji, Viplav ji and Garg ji for an interesting analysis.

Regards

Alka Khare