Chilika lake, December 2021 :: Big shrub for ID :: ARK2022-028

[Alka Khare]

Hello friends

This was clicked at Satpada on the banks of the Chilika lake, Odisha in December 2021.

Requested to please ID.

Thanks and regards

Alka Khare

[Saroj Kasaju]

Please check Randia/Himalrandia/Benkara/Caturanegam !!

Thank you.

Saroj Kasaju

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[J.M. Garg]

Pl. check with images at Catunaregam spinosa

To me appears close.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Alka Khare]

Thanks Garg ji.

The leaves looked completely different though.

I have seen quite a few of these trees here in Maharashtra and the leaves looked different.

Regards

Alka Khare

[J.M. Garg]

Leaves appear to be OK in the 3rd image.

Pl. check.
Is there any mix up?

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Alka Khare]

No Garg ji, there is no mix up.

All pics belong to the same plant.

The leaves of the plants I have seen in Maharashtra have more pronounced veins, I think.

Regards

Alka Khare

[J.M. Garg]

I do not find anything more closer than Catunaregam spinosa

Flora of Pakistan says:
Leaves opposite or fascicled on dwarf branches, obovate, 2.5–7.5 x 1.25–3.75 cm, rarely ovate or spathulate, entire, obtuse or acute, membranous, glabrous or pubescent on both surfaces, specially on the nerves beneath; shortly petioled, petiole hairy; lateral nerves prominent. 

Flora of China says:

Petiole 2-8 mm, pilose, pilosulous, or hirtellous to glabrous; leaf blade drying papery or subleathery, obovate or oblong-obovate or rarely ovate to spatulate, 1.8-11 × 1-5.7 cm, both surfaces glabrous to strigillose, strigose, hirtellous, or sparsely hirsute at least along principal veins, base cuneate and sometimes decurrent, margins entire or often shortly ciliate, apex acute; secondary veins 4-7 pairs, often with pilosulous domatia in abaxial axils; 

Leaf base appears to be variable in the same image, which is creating some doubt in my mind also.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Alka Khare]

OK Garg ji.

We take it as Catunaregam spinosa.

I was referring to the leaves of this plant that I had seen in Mumbai

Regards

Alka Khare

[vip...@gmail.com]

This appears to be Benkara malabarica (Lam.) Tirveng. [Rubiaceae]. The inflorescence structure ("in congested leaf-opposed, short peduncled cymes") can be seen in the third image.

Best wishes, Viplav

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[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Viplav ji, for solving the mystery.

In that case, it appears more closer to images, details and references at Benkara fasciculata rather than those at Benkara malabarica

Pl. also see leaf bases in other three images.

Both are reported from Orissa as per BSI Flora of India checklist.

Also see POWO (Benkara fasciculata) and POWO (Benkara malabarica)

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[vip...@gmail.com]

I don't have access to a specific key for the two species of Benkara under consideration here. The description of Benkara fasciculata by King & Gamble on the India Biodiversity Portal is the only 'detailed' one that I could find. However, it is amply clear that the leaf shape of both the species can vary. The leaf shape of Benkara malabarica has been described variously by different authors as: "ovate, subacute at the apex, rounded at the base" (Talbot); "elliptic-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, subacute, tapering to the base" (Cooke); and "obovate to oblanceolate" (Brandis). Therefore, I doubt if the shape of the leaves can be a reliable distinguishing feature.

Speaking of leaves, what stands out in the available descriptions is the thickness:

B. fasciculata: Leaves membranous (King & Gamble);

B. malabarica: Leaves coriaceous (Talbot / Cooke / Brandis).

I feel that the inflorescence structure in the attached image posted by Alka ji is more revealing. There is a similar image of the inflorescence of B. malabarica in the Auroville Virtual Herbarium, it differs from the sparse flower clusters/fascicles of B. fasciculata in the eflora of India page. Brandis writes that the axillary fascicles of B. fasciculata are "few-flowered".

B. fasciculata: Flowers axillary, in fascicles or solitary (King & Gamble); few-flowered (Brandis);

B. malabarica: Flowers in congested leaf-opposed, short-peduncled cymes (Talbot / Cooke).

Another distinctive floral feature appears to be the size of the corolla tube in relation to the lobes.

B. fasciculata: Corolla tube nearly 1 inch in length (King & Gamble);

B. malabarica: Corolla tube shorter than the lobes (Brandis); tube 0.2" long (Talbot).

Best wishes, Viplav

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks a lot, Viplav ji, for the wonderful analysis and efforts. 

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Alka Khare]

Thank you Viplav ji for the detailed analysis.

The ID could be resolved.

Apologies for a delayed revert.

Regards

Alka Khare