Hedyotis hirsutissima Bedd., Madras J. Lit. Sci. III, 1: 49 1864. (Syn: Oldenlandia hirsutissima (Bedd.) Kuntze);
India (Tamil Nadu) as per WCSP;
 

Shrubs or undershrubs, 50-150 cm long; branches leafy above and with scars of stipules and fallen leaves below; stem obtusely angular or terete, glabrous. Leaves opposite, sessile or shortly petioled, 1-5 x 0.8-2.5 cm, ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, mucronate at apex, attenuate at base, coriaceous, densely yellowish hirsute on both surfaces; nerves 3-4 pairs, strong, raised below, hirsute; petiole stout, 1-2 mm long, hirsute; stipules sheathing at base, 1-2 x 2-4, deeply pectinate, hirsute. Inflorescence axillary, peduncled, panicle of few flowered corymbose cymes; branches slender, shorter than leaves, dense hirsute. Flowers 18-20 mm long, hirsute outside, bracteate; pedicel 1-2 mm long; bracts foliaceous, 1-4 x 0.8-2 mm, linear-lanceolate. Hypanthium 1.5-3 mm long; calyx limb 1-2 mm long; lobes 4, 2.5-3.5 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate; midnerve prominent. Corolla campanulate; tube 12-13 mm long, dense pubescent inside, lobes 4, ovate, acute, 5.5-6.5 mm, minute pubescent inside. Stamens 4, exserted; filaments 2-3.5 mm long, adnate at the throat; anthers 1-2 mm long, oblong-linear. Ovary 1-1.5 mm long; ovules many; style 8-9 mm long, slender; stigma bilobed, 0.5-1 mm long, fleshy, pilose. Capsule 2-3 x 2-2.5 mm, globose, top enclosed within calyx lobes, hirsute; seeds 0.7-1 x 0.5-0.7 mm, angular, narrowly winged; exotesta reticulate, brownish.

Flowering and fruiting: November-March
Ecotones of shola and grasslands
Southern Western Ghats (endemic)

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Nilgiris: Rubiaceae for identification 061212MK03: Please help me to identify this Rubiaceae shrub. The size of plant was about 1 x 1 metres. The flower was about 3 cm long and the leaf was about 5 x 2.5 cm.

Date: 25 Oct 2012
Place: Mukruthi NP, Nilgiris, TN
Alt: 2420 m asl


Could this be any Hedyotis sp. shrub

Thanks, … I checked your images before hand. It looks much different. 

Oldenlandia wynaadensis ?


Excellent photos of Hedyotis hirsutissima


Congrats, … I think it needs to be published along with …, being stated to be Extinct as per 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants.
Also see only two high resolution specimens at GBIF

But this is already reported.


Thanks, … I was not aware. Any reference ?


Thank you … for resurfacing and identify this shrub. The plant matches the description. This species can be seen quite commonly in the high altitude shola-grassland landscape of Nilgiris. I am interested to know more information on this plant. 


I am sending across high resolution images of Hedyotis hirsutissima.

Attachments (2) – 1 Mb each.

References:

1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants edited by Kerry Scott Walter, Harriet J. Gillett (Ex/E- Tamilnadu)