Blastus cochinchinensis Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 2: 527 1790. (syn: Anplectrum parviflorum Benth.; Blastus marchandii H. Lév.; Blastus parviflorus (Benth.) Triana);
China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Yunnan), Taiwan,
Cambodia, India, Myanmar [Burma], Vietnam, Japan (Yakushima Isl.), Ryukyu Isl. as per Catalogue of Life; Blastus cochinchinensis : 4 posts by 2 authors.
I am currently updating the Melastomataceae for a checklist of the flora of India that Peter Raven and others have been trying to move along at least since 2012. I am referencing your wonderful eflora project, linking to all the species shown there. In this context, I saw that Blastus cochinchinensis Lour. is still missing. This is supposed to occur from southern India to Burma and tropical China.
Has none of your participants come across this species? The said record of Blastus cochinchinensis from India rests on a single gathering by Masters from an unspecified locality in Assam available in the Hooker’s herbarium in Kew which can be seen at the undermentioned link.
Assam in the British India denotes a wide area including part of present Bangladesh. I have no knowledge of any further record of the species within the present boundary of India and therefore I think that the occurrence of the species in India needs confirmation through further collections.
This helps a lot! I will make a note under this species following your information.
References: Catalogue of Life The Plant List Ver.1.1 Tropicos IPNI |