A new species of Rubus ( Rosaceae ) from Arunachal Pradesh , India

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MATERIALS & METHodS
The description of R. ramachandrae is based on living specimens collected during our field survey in Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, India and subsequent observations on herbarium specimens.Based on previous revisionary and systematic works (Focke 1910, 1911, 1914, Smith 1819, Roxburgh 1832, Hooker 1878, Kuntze 1879, Kanjilal et al. 1922, Long 1987, Kalkman 1993, Lu & Boufford 2003, Boufford et al. 2011) and regional floristic works (Sharma & Kachroo 1981, Chowdhery & Wadhwa 1984, Chowdhery et al. 1996), it was compared with the most morphologically similar species, Rubus stipulosus T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu and R. fuscifolius T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu .Micro-morphological characters of the pollen of R. ramachandrae was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM, model FEI Quanta 200) at HV 20.0 EV and under oil objective (100×) using an Olympus CX41 light microscope at the Central National Herbarium, Howrah.Pollen characters were described following Erdtman (1943Erdtman ( , 1952) ) and Punt et al. (2007).The morphological characters of R. ramachandrae were compared with the digital images of R. stipulosus and R. fuscifolius (both at PE) in combination with the respective protologues and literature (Yu & Lu 1982, Lu & Boufford 2003).Details are provided in Table 1.An image of the type specimen (Fig. 1); digital images of the habitat, stipule, inflorescence and flower (Fig. 3), an illustration (Fig. 2) and scanned electron microscope images of the pollen (Fig. 4) are provided.Extensive field trips were undertaken in various localities of the eastern Himalaya during the present revisionary study of Indian Rubus.Etymology.The species is named in loving memory and reverent regards of Sri Rama Chandra Dash, father of corresponding author, who was a constant source of encouragement and motivation during all field work in the difficult terrain in Arunachal Pradesh.
Pollen morphology -Pollen grains 3-colporate, prolatespheroidal (P/E ratio: 1.04) 24-25 μm in polar length with rounded, often emarginate ends, colpus narrow, distinctly uniform along the poles, extending over 90 % of the polar axis, equatorial bridge distinct, margins constricted at equator and elevated.The colpus membrane is covered with rugged granulations and undulate.The endoaperature is smooth, indistinct and usually hidden under the rugged exine or equatorial bridge.The exine layer is thick and finely ornamented.The surface ornamentation is finely verrucose-foveolate.The punctum consists of more or less rounded depressions and narrow and often anastomosing elongated verrucae, more often creating a perforated suprarugulate tectum (Fig. 4).
Distribution -India, Arunachal Pradesh; known only from the type and its adjacent locality (Map 1).Habitat & Ecology -Rubus ramachandrae grows in open subtropical forests between 1 100 and 1 300 m.
Flowering & Fruiting -July to September.Provisional IUCN conservation assessment -Rubus ramachandrae is known only from two localities in Upper Subansiri in Arunachal Pradesh, India.During our study, we located only two gregarious patches 5 km apart with 4 or 5 mature plants each.The species has not been collected elsewhere, hence, its provisional conservation status may be considered Data Deficient (IUCN 2017).
Note -Due to the presence of straggling shrubby habit, free stipule, simple leaves, with both needle shaped and reflexed prickles, various forms of panicled axillary and terminal inflorescences and the more or less bell-shaped or campanulate calyx, it is proposed here that R. ramachandrae be placed in Rubus subg.Malachobatus Focke (Focke 1910: 41), a subgenus of about 115 species (Focke 1910, 1911, 1914, Kalkman 1993, Lu & Boufford 2003) mainly concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions of the Asian continent.

Fig. 4
Fig. 4 Pollen morphology of Rubus ramachandrae S.S.Dash & Chand.Gupta.a -d: SEM images; e -g: LM images.a. Equatorial view of pollen; b. polar view of pollen showing tricolporate aperture; c. closer view of aperture showing endoaperture and the surface ornamentation; d. closer view of aperture with bridge; e, f. subpolar view showing endoaperture with bridge; g. subequatorial view (arrow showing colporate aperture).

Table 1
Morphological comparison between Rubus ramachandrae and its allied species.