Enicostema littorale from Kachchh

[vip...@gmail.com]

A bitter herb with a wide range of medicinal uses, Enicostema littorale thrives in the sandy soil of Kachchh in the monsoon. It is known as મામેજ [Mamej] in Kachchhi and મામેજવો [Mameyjavo] in Gujarati.

The last picture (with the 5-merous and the 4-merous flower) depicts an unusual (aberrant) instance of variable merosity in this herb; usually, it bears pentamerous flowers only. The flowers and the capsules are tiny, ± 4 mm across. The capsules are crowned with the marcescent corolla as can be seen in the third picture. The stem is quadrangular. Leaves opposite-decussate, narrow, sessile, and three-nerved; leaf size: 8 cm x 1.2 cm. This herb is around 20 cm tall.

According to The Plant List, E. littorale is a synonym of Enicostema axillare subsp. littorale. The genus is often (mis)spelt with a double 'm' - Enicostemma - in many published sources.

Photographed in June 2013 in Koday, South Kachchh.

Best wishes, Viplav

[Adittya Dharap]

Hi

 

Thank you for sharing these wonderful images. I feel these plants from Kachchh are more 'bold' if

I have to describe them. The leaves seem to be little broader and is there a fine white lining along the margin? If yes they are missing from plant images I had shared earlier.

 

thanks

best regards

Adittya 

 

 

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[vip...@gmail.com]

Thanks for your comments, Adittya ji. The leaf margin is very finely ciliate and the chalky border is indeed prominent. I think it is quite pronounced in the first picture posted by Gopal ji though not quite evident in your images. Have attached another picture clicked in July 2012 near Chobari, East Kachchh for your reference.

Best wishes, Viplav

[Mahadeswara]

Nice photographs and a very good presentation on plant details.

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Viplav ji, for the wonderful post.

Since we seem to have both the following:

Enicostema axillare

Enicostema axillare subsp. littorale

 

It will be important if anyone tell the difference between the two.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

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[vip...@gmail.com]

Dear Garg ji,

From what I've been able to gather, the genus Enicostema was revised in 1969 by the French botanist Aline Marie Raynal who published a new combination Enicostema axillare (Lamarck) A. Raynal, comb. nov., and divided it into three subspecies - i] the nominate subsp. axillare, ii] subsp. latilobum (N. E. Br.) A. Raynal, stat. nov., and iii] subsp. littorale (Blume) A. Raynal, stat. nov. 

Her paper - Révision du genre Enicostema Blume (Gentianaceæ) - is in French and was published in the journal 'Adansonia', ser. 2, vol. 9 (1), 1969, p. 57-85. Am giving an English translation of her key to the subspecies of E. axillare herewith:

Calyx less than 2/3rd of the total flower length and often smaller; calyx lobes lanceolate, triangular or obovate, less than 4 times longer than wide. Anthers very briefly apiculate. Old World. - 1. E. axillare (Lam.) A. Raynal

Calyx lobes obovate to suborbicular, apex rounded, mucronate, margin widely scarious. East Africa. - 1b. subsp. latilobum (N. E. Br.) A. Raynal

Calyx lobes triangular or lanceolate, apex acute, margin narrowly scarious:

Leaf apex rounded or occasionally subacute (but not acuminate), mucronate; capsule c. 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm. Asia, Africa. - 1a. subsp. axillare.

Leaf blade gradually tapering to an acuminate apex; capsule c. 4 mm to 6 mm. Malaysia. - 1c. subsp. littorale (Bl.) A. Raynal.

Have attached a couple of plates depicting certain distinctive morphological features of these subspecies from her paper. In light of this information, it is quite clear that my photographs are that of Enicostema axillare subsp. axillare.

Best wishes, Viplav