A NEW VARIETY OF SALACIA (CELASTRACEAE) FROM THE WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA, SOUTH INDIA

Abstract

Salacia oblonga Wall. ex Wight & Arn. var. kakkayamana P.S. Udayan, A.V. Raghu, V. a new variety of Salacia L. from Kakkayam, Kozhikkode district in Kerala, India is described and illustrated. The new variety resembles Salacia oblonga Wall. ex Wight & Arn. by its slender branchlets, shape of flowers; but differs from it being slender in habit, smaller leaves, purplish-black long petiole, smaller pale yellow flowers with suppressed mouth, 3 ovoid seeds with globose yellowish-orange smaller fruit.