A new species of Ardisia (Primulaceae) from the Anamalai Hills of Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Ardisia ramaswamii (Primulaceae) is described as a new species from the Anamalai hills of Western Ghats, India. On account of the presence of axillary and extra axillary umbellate cymes with peduncles shorter than the foliage and longer than petiole, slender pedicels, non-overlapping calyx lobes etc., the species is included under the subgenus Akosmos following Mez (1902). Detailed description, illustrations, colour photographs, phenology, distribution details and significant ecological notes are provided along a comparison with its closely related species, A. pauciflora Heyne ex Roxb.