A New Distributional Record for Endemic Brachystelma Shrirangii (Apocynaceae)
Author : SM Moholkar
Abstract :
Brachystelma R.Br. (Apocynaceae: Ceropegieae) is a speciose genus with ca. 116 species globally, of which 35 are reported from India, mostly restricted to the peninsular region. Owing to habitat heterogeneity, rainfall gradients, and diverse elevations, most Indian species are narrow endemics, often confined to localized pockets of the Western and Eastern Ghats. In July–August 2019, during floristic surveys around Yavateshwar hills of the Mahadev hill ranges, Satara district, Maharashtra, a tuberous herb was initially observed in vegetative form. Re-examination of the site in March 2020 revealed flowering specimens, which on comparison with protologues and consultation with experts were confirmed as Brachystelma shrirangii Kambale, Gholave & Sardesai. The species was originally described in 2016 from Appachiwadi (Kolhapur district, Maharashtra) and adjoining Belgaum district (Karnataka), and until now, remained known only from four localities in Kolhapur and one in Belgaum. The present record represents its extended distribution into Satara district from three new localities Yavateshwar hills, Pedhyacha Bhairoba near Satara city, and multiple sites in Khatav tehsil (Aundh, Jaygaon, Kokarale, Sitabai hills). In all surveyed habitats, 10–25 mature individuals were recorded, restricted to open rocky grasslands at 650–850 m altitude. The occurrence of B. shrirangii in the Mahadev hill ranges suggests the potential for further undiscovered populations in adjacent landscapes such as Khambatki, Chandan Vandan, Pateshwar, and Sagareshwar. This new distributional record significantly extends the known range of B. shrirangii, highlighting the ecological importance of Satara grasslands and the need for continued botanical exploration and conservation of narrow endemic taxa in the Western Ghats.
Keywords :
Endemic, Brachystelma shrangii, Apocynaceae, Western Ghats, Khatav.
