BIOLOGIA (PAKIS TA N) 2015, 61 (1), 1-? PKISSN 0006 – 3096 (Print)
ISSN 2313 – 206X (On-Line)
Chamaecrista Mimosoides and Litsea Glutinosa: New Record to The Flora of Pakistan *
MUHAMMAD AJAIB 1 & ZAHEER-UD-DIN KHAN2
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Department of Botany Mirpur University of Science & Technology, Mirpur (AJK), Pakistan 2 Department of Botany, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan ABSTRACT During the field survey of District Kotli, Azad Jammau & Kashmir, two naturalized species, Chamaecrista mimosoides (L.) Greene, a shrub and Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B.Rob. a tree, were found
growing near road sides of Dungi (Taroot) hills and Mansuh hills respectively. These are new record in the local plant inventory as these species have not been reported in Flora of Pakistan. C. mimosoides characterized as annual herb with paripinnate, 5–9 × 1-1.5 cm leaves; discoid sessile gland at distal end of petiole. L. glutinosa is characterized as a tree with simple, alternate, spiral leaves, somewhat crowded at the ends of branchlets, 6-15 cm long, usually oblong-oval, unequal at base, obtuse or shortly acute, thickly coriaceous, margin entire, glabrous above, pubescent beneath especially on midrib, lateral nerves 7-10 pairs, conspicuous and raised beneath. Flowers were small, greenish yellow in axillary pedunculate umbels. Both the species are ethnobotanically important as local people of the area use these plants as medicinaes to treat human ailments. Key words: Chamaecrista mimosoides, Litsea glutinosa, District Kotli
INTRODUCTION In recent times owing to the population explosion it has become very important to make best use of all natural resources. Unfortunately no serious attempt has been made to evaluate the natural plant wealth in Pakistan. It is noticed that about 40 new species were added in previously published work in family Leguminosae in Flora of Pakistan and hence, unexplored areas need careful taxonomic and nomenclatural investigations (Stewart, 1972). The genus Cassia L. belonging to subfamily Caesalpinioideae of family Leguminosae has recently been upgraded to a sub-tribe (Irwdn & Barneby, 1982) and divided into three genera, viz. Cassia L., Chamaescrista Moench and Senna Miller. The taxonomic illustrations have also been revised for American Cassieae (Irwin & Barneby, 1982; Lock, 1989). Morphology of the stigma was considered as very important for taxonomic weighting in defining these genera (Owens & Lewis, 1989). The genus Chamaecrista first time described by Moench in 1794 (Shu, 2010). Chamaecrista mimosoides originated from India and South China (Wu et al., 2003). But according to Shu (2010) the plant is native to tropical America and widely introduced in the tropics and subtropics. Genus Litsea belongs to family Lauraceae and described first by Lamark in 1792 (Shu et al.,
*Corresponding author:
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2008). Litsea comprised of more than 300 species in tropical and subtropical Asia, the islands of the Pacific, Australia and in North and Central America. Litsea glutinosa is distributed in China, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Java, Malay Peninsula, Celebes, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, Borneo, New Guinea, Philippines, Australia in a wide variety of habitats, i.e. Pine-deciduous and deciduous dipterocarp forests, mixed deciduous forest, evergreen dry forest, along the edges of tropical rain forest, low mountain forest and open areas at 0-1450 m above sea level (Ngernsaengsaruay et al., 2011). Both the species, i.e. C. mimosoides and L. glutinosa are naturalized and growing well in District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir but are not listed by Stewart (1972), Ali (1973) and Kostermans (1978) while enlisting the Flora of Pakistan. Description of Chamaecrista mimosoides (L.) Greene An erect or decumbent annual herb upto a meter in length, sometimes woody at the base with many slender, pubescent branches. Stems cylindrical, terete, densely or sparsely pubescent with appressed hairs. Leaves paripinnate, 5-9 × 11.5 cm with discoid sessile gland at distal end of petiole; stipules linear-subulate, persistent, 5-8 mm with clear longitudinal veins, narrowly triangular,
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M. AJAIB1 & Z. KHA N
apex long-acuminate, base rounded; rachis crenatecrested, slightly pubescent; leaflets sessile, (25)15– 50 pairs, reddish-brown when dry, linear or linearfalcate, midvein highly unequal, apex acute to obtuse, shortly mucronate, 3–10 × 1 mm. Flowers yellow in solitary axillary or 2-3 flowered cymes; bracts similar to stipules, pedicels upto 2 cm long, appressed-pubescent. Sepals lanceolate with appressed or spreading hairs, pubescent outside, 5–7 × 2 mm; petals, broadly obovate or orbicular, longer than sepals, shortly clawed; stamens 9–10 in two groups usually four larger than the rest; ovary densely appressed-pubescent usually with stiff hairs; stigma flat, hairy. Pod flat, falcate, sparsely pubescent with short stiff appressed hairs or with longer flexuous hairs, 2.5–5 cm; seeds pale brown, smooth, flat 10-20 in a pod (Plate 1). Not very common only found growing wild in grassy slopes of Dungi (Taroot) hills of District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, N. 330 24.918′ and E. 730 58.674′ at 651 meters above sea level (GPS Garmin Nuvi 500). Fl. Per. July-August. Fr. Per. September-October. Vern. Kikri. Voucher specimen no. SAH. 2610. Synonyms:
Cassia
mimosoides
L.,
C.
angustissima Lam., C. sensitiva Roxb. Ethnobotany: The plant is reported to be medicinal according to local people of Dungi Kotli, AJK, as they use leaves, seeds and roots of this plant for diarrhea and dysentery. According to Sobiecki (2008) the plant is used to arise the spirits and remembering dreams. The leaves are used to cure Thrush and Schistosomiasis (Razafindraibe, et al., 2013).
Desription of Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B.Rob. A moderate or medium sized tree with slender puberulous branchlets and smooth to cracking, lenticellate, grayish brown bark. leaves simple, alternate, spiral, somewhat crowded at the ends of branchlets, variable, 6-15 cm long, usually oblong-oval, unequal at base, obtuse or shortly acute, thickly coriaceous, margin entire, glabrous above, pubescent beneath especially on midrib, lateral nerves 7-10 pairs, conspicuous and raised beneath; petiole 2-4 cm long, pubescent. Flowers
BIOLOGIA (PAKIS TA N)
small, regular, dioecious, greenish yellow or creamish, in axillary pedunculate umbels; peduncle 1.5-3 cm long; bracts 4, decussate, concave, tomentose; male flowers upto 7 in each umbel; petals 6, oblong or linear-oblong, subequal, 3-4 x 0.5–0.8 mm, pubescent; pedicels upto 5 mm long, densely pubescent; stamens 15–18, unequal;.female flowers upto 6 in each umbel; petals 6, ovate-oblong, 1-3 x 0.8–1 mm, pubescent; pedicels upto 1 cm long, pubescent. Fruit nearly globose or ovoid, 0.8 cm long, green with white spots, purple or black when ripe, glossy, glabrous seated on a shallowly cup-shaped, enlarged perianth (Plate 2). A fairly common tree found in low hills of Mansuh, District Kotli. N. 330 24.623′ and E. 730 57.290′ at 876 meters above sea level (GPS Garmin Nuvi 500). Fl. Per. Spring season. Fr. Per. Summer months. Vern. Madsuck or Maidasuck. Vern. Engl. Common Tallow Laurel. Voucher specimen no. SAH. 2623. Synonyms: L. tersa Merr., L. chinensis Lamb., L. sebifera Pers., L tetranthera Pers., L. multiflora Blume, Tetranthera apetala Roxb., Camellia integrifolia Choisy, Tetranthera multiflora Nees, T. laurifolia Jacq., Sebifera glutinosa Lour., S. balongai Blanco, Laurus involucrata Koenig, Tomex tetranthera Willd., T. sebifera Willd., Gaja nippeli Jones. Ethnobotany. According to local people of Mansuh hills, District Kotli the leaf paste of the plant is applied on fractured bones and is very effective for their repairing. According to Murthy (2012) the Bark of the plant is used orally for calcium deficiency where as bark powder mixed with milk is used in chest pain. Acknowledgements We are grateful to HEC, Islamabad for funding a research project titled ““Ethnofloristic Study of Subtropical Zone of District Kotli, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan” and the present paper is a part of this project.
BIOLOGIA (PAKIS TA N) 2015, 61 (1), 3-? PKISSN 0006 – 3096 (Print)
ISSN 2313 – 206X (On-Line)
A
B.
C
D
Plate 1: Chamaecrista mimosoides: a & b. Flowering and fruiting branches, c. Leaf and seeds in pods, d. Pod
*Corresponding author:
[email protected]
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M. AJAIB1 & Z. KHA N
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BIOLOGIA (PAKIS TA N)
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C Plate 2:
Litsea glutinosa: a. Leafy shoot in natural habitat, b. Peduncle, c. Mounted branch
VOL. 61 (1)
CHAMAE CRIS TA MIMOSOIDES AND LITSEA GLUTINOSA
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