Orophea sivarajanii Sasidh., Nordic J. Bot. 19: 301 1999. ;


Shrubs, 2-3 m tall, young shoots glabrous. Lamina oblong or elliptic-oblong, acuminate at apex, obtuse or rounded at base, glabrous, 7-15 x 3-6 cm, lateral nerves 7-11 pairs, prominent below and faint above, intercostae widely reticulate, prominulous below and inconspicuous above; petiole 2-3 mm long, glabrous. Flowers in 2 or 3 flowered 1.5-2 cm long glabrous racemes or solitary, axillary or lateral. Pedicels 8-12 mm long, glabrous; bract 0.5 mm long, ovate-acute, towards the upper half of the pedicel. Sepals 2 x 2.5 mm, jointed at base, ovate-deltoid, acute, ciliolate along the margins, otherwise glabrous. Outer petals 4 mm across, ovate-orbicular, tomentose along the margins. Inner petals 7 mm long (with claw), greenish towards the upper half and white in the lower half, tomentose along the margins; nectaries 2, distinct, horizontal with thick undulating margins and shortly hooked downwards apex. Stamens 12 in 2 rows of 6 each. Carpels 6, glabrous; ovules 2, style hairy. Fruitlets globose (young).

Flowering and fruiting: November
Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests
Southern Western Ghats (Kerala)

(Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi




Orophea malabarica and Orophea sivarajanii, which are related to the custard apple family, were discovered in Makutta Ghat of Kodagu district.
Congrats, Navendu ji & his team. 


Congrats to team! Well done!





References:

The Plant List Ver.1.1 (Unresolved)
 WCSP  IPNI  A new species of Orophea (Annonaceae) from Western Ghats, India (N. Sasidharan- Nordic Journal of Botany 06/2008; 19(3):301 – 304.)  India Biodiversity Portal