As was mentioned by me a few days ago several uploads of Pouzolzia remain
unidentified in our database. Thanks Manudev ji, we were able to procure
recent monograph on
Wilmot-Dear, C. M. & Friis, I. 2006. The Old World species of Pouzolzia
(Urticaceae, tribus Boehmerieae). A taxonomic revision. - Nord. J. Bot. 24:
5-1 15.
Coplenhagen. ISSN 0107-055X
There have been lot of taxonomic realignments of Indian taxa. I have
compiled the list of Indian taxa with synonyms and Principal distribution
I have also tried to construct a key relating to Indian taxa. The same is
given below and also uploaded in our website. Interested members may go
through this information and help in fixing the unidentified plants.
*Pouzolzia sanguinea *(Blume) Merrill *var. sanguinea* (UP, Uttranchal,
Nepal, Sikkim, AP, Manipur)
Syn: P. viminea (Wedd.) Wedd.
*P. sanguinea* var*. fulgens* (Wedd.) Hara (UP, Nepal, Sikkim, AP, Manipur)
*P. zeylanica (L.) *Benn. & R. Br.* var. zeylanica (*Himachal, Kashmir, UP,
Uttranchal, W. Bengal, MP, Tripura, Bihar, Orissa,
Mar., AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu)
syn: *P. auriculata *Wight; *P. indica *L. ; *P. indica *var.* alienata
*; *P. indica *var. *angustifolia *Wedd.; *P. *
* indica* var. *tetraptera* Wedd.; *P. indica* var. *diffusa* Hook.f.
; *P. indica* var. *microphylla *Hook.f.; *P. *
* tuberosa* Wight; *P. vesicaria *Wight
*P. cymosa* Wight (Tamil Nadu)
*P. hirta* (L.) Hassk. Var.* hirta (*UP, Himachal, E. Himal, Nepal, Sikkim,
Bhutan, W. Bengal,
Nagaland, Bihar, Orissa, AP, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Sri Lanka)
Syn: *P. bennettiana* Wight; *P. integrifolia *Dalz.;
*P. hirta var. parvifolia* (Wight) Friis (Sri Lanka)
Syn:* P. parvifolia* Wight.)
*P. pentandra* (Roxb.) Benn. & R. Br. ssp.* pentandra* (Himachal, UP,
Bihar, Punjab, Jammu, Nepal,
Sikkim, UP, Uttranchal, Assam, Bihar, MP, Maharashtra,
AP, Karnataka )
*Ssp. wightii (Benn. & R. Br.) Friis & Wilmot-Dear var. wightii (*Orissa,
TN, Karnataka, Kerala, AP,
Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka)
Syn: *P. caudata *Benn.; *P. scabra * Wight
*Ssp. wightii *var.* gracilis* (Miq.) Friis & Wilmot-Dear (Kerala, Tamil
Nadu , Karnataka)
Syn: *P. aspera* Wight;* P. meeboldii* Smith
*A KEY TO INDIAN TAXA OF POUZOLZIA*
1a. Leaf margin of at least some leaves toothed…………………………2
1b. Leaf margin always entire………………………………………………………3
2a. Lower surface of leaves covered by silky shining appressed
Hairs; male flowers 4-merous; upper surface glabrous with
Abundant raised cystoliths......................…………………………….*P.
sanguinea* var. *fulgens*
2b. Lower surface clearly visible, sparsely covered with hairs,
Upper leaves usually distinctly reduced in size…………………….*P.
sanguinea* var.* sanguinea*
3a. Leaves with clearly visible basal and upper lateral veins; male
bud not surrounded by a rim; leaves often alternate……………..4
3b. Leaves 3-veined from base with no upper lateral veins; male
Bud surrounded by a rim; all or at least lower leaves opposite
or whorled…………………………………………………………………………………5
4a. Flowers in cymose clusters; male clusters on 1-3cm long
Peduncles, female sessile in upper axils; all leaves opposite; all
Veins arising from basal 1/10 portion ; hairs and veins forming
Longitudinal alternating stripes………………………………………………….*P. cymosa*
4b. Flowers always in sessile axillary clusters with flowers of both
Sexes; at least some leaves alternate; one pair of veins arising
from middle; veins inconspicuous, hairs not in stripes…………..*P.
zeylanica* var. *zeylanica*
5a. Leaves always opposite or whorled gradually reduced in size
above……………………………………………………………………………………….6
5b. Lower leaves opposite, upper most or those on lateral
branches distinctly reduced, alternate and bract-like …………….7
6a. Leaves less than 1.5 cm long, rounded or acute at apex;
Fruiting perianth with 10 conspicuous longitudinal ribs;
Male flower 3-4 merous…………………………………………….……………*P. hirta* var. *
parvifolia*
6b. Leaves longer than 2 cm often up to 17 cm, apex
Acuminate; fruiting perianth with inconspicuous veins;
Male flower 5-merous…………………………………………………………..*P. hirta* var.* hirta*
7a. Axillary branches with bract-like leaves numerous in upper
part of stem, 1/10-1/30 of normal leaves; normal leaves in
whorls of 3-4……………………………………………….*P. pentandra* subsp.* wightii* var. *
gracilis*
7b. Axillary branches few or none, if more not with bract-like
Leaves (latter not smaller than 1/5 of normal leaves);
Normal leaves mostly opposite………………………………………………8
8a. Normal leaves shorter than 9 cm, narrower than 1.5 cm; linear
to linear-ovate, apex rounded to acute……………………………………..*P.
pentandra*subsp.
*pentandra*
8b. Normal leaves either longer than 9 cm or broader than 2 cm
or both, ovate or elliptic ovate, usually acuminate……….*P.
pentandra*subsp.
*wightii* var. *wightii*
--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/
