A new species of Herpetospermum (Schizopeponeae, Cucurbitaceae) is described from north-eastern India, northern Myanmar and southwest China (Xizang and Yunnan). Herpetospermum operculatum was previously confused with Herpetospermum (= Biswarea) tonglense, but differs primarily in having smooth yellow-striped fruit with operculum at stylar end, ascendent seed arrangement in fruit and prominent probracts and bracts. At least a part of the collections of Herpetospermum tonglense in Myanmar and China represent misidentification of this species.

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Blumea: Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants

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Naturalis journals & series

Pradheep, K., Pandey, A., Bhatt, K. C., & Nayar, E. R. (2014). Herpetospermum operculatum (Schizopeponeae,
Cucurbitaceae), a new species from India, Myanmar and China. Blumea: Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants, 59(1), 1–5.