Abstract Detail

Systematics Section

Samarakoon, Tharangamala [1], Alford, Mac [2].

Taxonomic Revision of Casearia Species in South-Central Asia.

Casearia Jacq. is the largest genus of the flowering plant family Samydaceae. It is found throughout the tropics and consists of about 200 species of small to medium sized trees. Within Samydaceae, Casearia are distinguished from other genera by having hermaphroditic flowers with a single series of staminodes (=disk glands) and a well-developed style. Taxonomic revisions have covered all Casearia species throughout the world except the species present in south central Asia including Pakistan east to Burma and south to Sri Lanka. This investigation mainly aims to resolve the taxonomic problems of Casearia species present in south central Asia, to prepare detailed descriptions of the taxa with illustrations, to infer their relationships to other species and biogeographical areas, and to build a robust taxonomic key to identify them. Different taxonomists have described as many as 15 species and as few as 6 species in south central Asia. Some of these species are doubtful due to misleading morphological characters such as variable leaf morphology and pubescence, lack of ample sampling and nomenclatural conflict. A thorough investigation of morphological and phenological characters combined with geographical distribution support the delineation of 13 Casearia species in south central Asia, namely: C. andamanica, C. bourdillonii, C. glomerata, C. graveolens, C. grewiifolia, C. kurzii, C. rubescens, C. sikkimensis, C. thwaitesii, C. tomentosa, C. vareca, C. wynadensis and C. zeylanica. This revision includes nomenclatural justification, taxonomic description, and geographical distribution of each species.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University Of Southern Mississippi, Department Of Biological Sciences, Alford Lab, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
2 - University Of Southern Mississippi, Department Of Biological Sciences, 118 COLLEGE DRIVE #5018, HATTIESBURG, MS, 39406-0001, USA

Keywords:
Samydaceae
Casearia.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 28
Location: Lindell C/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Tuesday, July 12th, 2011
Time: 8:45 AM
Number: 28002
Abstract ID:97