Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2026-08-13
Page range: 279-286
Abstract views: 37
PDF downloaded: 1

Psammogeton udhampurensis sp. nov. (Apiaceae) from the Western Himalaya (India)

Department of Botany and Life Sciences Research Hub Lab.; Govt. College for Women Parade; Jammu; Jammu and Kashmir; India
Department of Botany; University of Jammu; Jammu and Kashmir; India
Eudicots Umbelliferae taxonomy morphology Jammu region

Abstract

A new species of Psammogeton (Apiaceae) is described from the Western Himalaya, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The new taxon shows morphological affinity to P. biternatus and P. tyleri, but can be clearly distinguished by a combination of characters including peduncle length and articulation, bract morphology, number and markedly variable length of umbel rays, distinctly asymmetric umbels, number of flowers per umbellet, and schizocarp features. The species inhabits dry, hilly slopes at elevations of 800–1200 m a.s.l. A morphological description, diagnostic illustrations, and a comparative table with morphologically allied taxa are provided. Based on currently available data, the species appears to be narrowly endemic to the region and is provisionally assessed as Data Deficient (DD) following IUCN criteria.

References

  1. Ahmad, I. & Koul, A.K. (1980) Chromosome number reports LXVIII. Taxon 29 (4): 533–547.
  2. Assadi, M., Massoumi, A.A., Khatamsaz, M. & Mozaffarian, V. (2008) Flora of Iran, Vols 1–60. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran. [in Persian]
  3. Babu, C.R. (1977) Herbaceous Flora of Dehra Dun. Publication and Information Division (CSIR), New Delhi.
  4. Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, Rani (2023) Psammogeton shivalikensis sp. nov. (Apiaceae; Pimpinelleae), restricted to the Shivalik hills of Jammu and Kashmir (north-west India). Nordic Journal of Botany 2023 (3): e03691 ‘shivalikense’. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.03691
  5. Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, Rani (2023) Psammogeton suchaniensis sp. nov. (Apiaceae; Pimpinelleae) from India. Nordic Journal of Botany 2023 (5): e3813. ‘suchaniense’ https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.03813
  6. Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, Rani (2024) Psammogeton hirsutus (Apiaceae; Pimpinelleae), a new species from India. Nordic Journal of Botany 2024 (2): e04093. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.04093
  7. Bhellum, B.L. (2024) Psammogeton raniae-magotrae sp. nov. (Apiaceae) a new species from Jammu and Kashmir, India. Nordic Journal of Botany 2024 (9): e04176 https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.04176
  8. Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, Rani (2025) Psammogeton tylerii sp. nov. (Apiaceae: Pimpinelleae) from Jammu, India. Nordic Journal of Botany 2025 (3): e04488. https://doi.org/10.1111/njb.04488
  9. Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, Rani (2026) Psammogeton indicus sp. nov. (Pimpinelleae; Apiaceae) from Jammu, India. National Academy Science Letters 48 (6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40009-026-01943-z
  10. Boissier, E. (1872) Umbelliferae. In: Boissier, E. (Eds.) Flora Orientalis, Vol. 2. H. Georg, Geneva & Basileae, pp. 819–1090.
  11. Brullo, S., Tomaselli, V. & Wagensommer, R.P. (2015) A new species of Odontites (Orobanchaceae) from southern Italy. Phytotaxa 213 (3): 271–281. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.213.3.7
  12. Clarke, C.B. (1879) Umbelliferae. In: Hooker, J.D. (Eds.) The Flora of British India, Vol. 2. L. Reeve & Co., London, pp. 665–720.
  13. Downie, S.R., Spalik, K. & Katz-Downie, D.S. (2010) Major clades within Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae as inferred by phylogenetic analysis of nrDNA ITS sequences. Plant Diversity and Evolution 128: 111–136. https://doi.org/10.1127/1869-6155/2010/0128-0005
  14. Downie, S.R., Watson, M.F., Spalik, K. & Katz-Downie, D.S. (2000) Molecular systematics of Old World Apioideae (Apiaceae): relationships among some members of tribe Peucedaneae sensu lato, the placement of several island-endemic species, and resolution within the apioid superclade. Canadian Journal of Botany 78: 506–528. https://doi.org/10.1139/b00-029
  15. Edgeworth, M.P. (1845) Psammogeton Edgew. In: Proceeding Linnean Society London 1. pp. 253.
  16. Edgeworth, M.P. (1846) Psammogeton biternatus Edgew. In: Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 20 (1). pp. 57.
  17. Ghazanfar, S.A. & Edmondson, J.R. (Eds.) (2013) Flora of Iraq 5 (2). Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reforms, Baghdad, 349 pp.
  18. Hassler, M. (2022) Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. In: Bánki, O. et al. Catalogue of Life Checklist (12.9, Jan 2022). https://doi.org/10.48580/d4tn-3dd
  19. Hedge, I.C., Lamond, J.M. & Rechinger, K.H. (1987) Umbelliferae. In: Rechinger, K.H. (Eds.) Flora Iranica 162. Akademische Druck 4. Verlagsanstalt, Graz, pp. 1–555.
  20. Heywood, V.H. & Dakshini, K.M.M. (1971) Fruit structure in the Umbelliferae – Caucalideae. In: Heywood, V.H. (Eds.) The Biology, Chemistry of the Umbelliferae. London, pp. 217–232.
  21. Hiroe, M. & Constance, L. (1958) Umbelliferae of Japan. University of California Publications in Botany 31: 1–144.
  22. IUCN. (2024) Guidelines for using the IUCN red list categories and criteria. Version 16. Prepared by the Standard and Petition Committee. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/redlistguidelines (accessed 20 April 2026)
  23. Jain, S.K. & Rao, R.R. (1977) A Handbook of Field and Herbarium methods. Today & Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi.
  24. Jimenez-Mejias, P. & Vargas, P. (2015) Taxonomy of the tribe Apieae (Apiaceae) revisited as revealed by molecular phylogenies and morphological characters. Phytotaxa 212 (1): 57–79. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.212.1.2
  25. Katz-Downie, D.S., Valiejo-Roman, C.M., Terentieva, E.I., Troitsky, A.V., Michail, T., Pimenov, M.G., Lee, B. & Downie, S.R. (1999) Towards a molecular phylogeny of Apicaceae subfamily Apioideae: additional information from nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS sequences. Pl. Syst. Evol. 216: 167–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01084397
  26. Kim, K., Suh, H.J., Ji, H. & Song, J.H. (2024) Re-evaluation of the taxonomic identity of Angelica fallax (Apiaceae) and its conservation status. Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy 54 (2): 87–98. https://doi.org/10.11110/kjpt.2024.54.2.87
  27. Kitamura, S. (1960) Flora of Afghanistan. Kyoto University Nissha Printing Co. Ltd., Japan.
  28. Kljuykov, E., Terentieva, E., Samigullin, T., Ukrainskaja, U. & Lyskov, D. (2019) Tetrataenium kumaonense (Apiaceae), a new species from northern India and the taxonomic assessment of Tetrataenium himalayense. Botany Letters 166 (4): 417–424. https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2019.1619194
  29. Kljuykov, E., Liu, M., Ostroumova, T.A., Pimenov, M.G., Tilney, P.M. & Wyk, B.E. van (2004) Towards a strandardised terminology for taxonomically important morphological characters in the Umbelliferae. South African Journal of Botany 70 (3): 488–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0254-6299(15)30233-7
  30. Mousavi, S.S., Mozaffrian, V., Mummenhoff, K., Downie, S.R. & Zarre, S. (2022) Systematics of Iranian genera Aphanopleura, Demavendia, Haussknechtia, Psammogeton and Zeravschania (Apiaceae tribe Pimpinelleae. Plant Systematics and Evolution 308 (2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-021-01792-x
  31. Mukherjee, P.K. (1983) Distribution and collection of rare Umbellifers in India, In: Jain, S.K. & Rao, R.R. (Eds.) An assessment of threatened plants of India. Botanical Survey of India, pp. 202–206.
  32. Mukherjee, P.K. & Constance, L. (1986) Two new genera of Indian Umbelliferae – Apiaceae. Brittonia 38: 145–149. https://doi.org/10.2307/2807267
  33. Mukherjee, P.K. & Constance, L. (1993) Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) of India. Oxford and IBH Publ. Co., New Delhi.
  34. Nasir, E. (1972) Umbelliferae. In: Nasir, E. & Ali, S.I. (Eds.) Flora of West Pakistan. 20. Ferozsons Ltd., Rawalpindi, pp. 1–169.
  35. Ostroumova, T.A., Pimenov, M.G. & Ukrainskaya, U.A. (2010) Micromorphological diversity of hairs and emergences on fruits in the Umbelliferae and its taxonomic value. Bot. Zh. 95: 1219–1231.
  36. Perrino, E.V., Mahmoud, Z.N.A., Valerio, F., Tomaselli, V., Wagensommer, R.P. & Trani, A. (2023) Synecology of Lagoecia cuminoides L. in Italy and evaluation of functional compounds presence in its water or hydroalcoholic extracts. Scientific Reports 13: 20906. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48065-w
  37. Perrino, E.V., Silletti, G.N., Erben, M. & Wagensommer, R.P. (2018) Viola cassinensis subsp. lucana (Violaceae), a new subspecies from the Lucanian Apennine, southern Italy. Phyton-Annales Rei Botanicae 58 (2): 109–115. https://doi.org/10.12905/0380.phyton58(2)-2018-0109
  38. Perrino, E.V., Silletti, G.N. & Tomaselli, V. (2026) Plant community, conservation and ecology of a wild species useful to humans but at risk of extinction in Italy: Lagoecia cuminoides L. Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration 11: 127. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-026-01085-0
  39. Pimenov, M.G., Degtjareva, G., Ostroumova, T., Samigullin, T. & Zakharova, E. (2019) What is Seseli diffusum? A comparative morphological and molecular appraisal of critical species of Umbelliferae. Plant Systematics and Evolution 305: 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-018-1550-z
  40. Pimenov, M.G. & Leonov, E.V. (1993) The genera of Umbelliferae. R. Bot. Gard. Kew.
  41. Pimenov, M.G. & Leonov, E.V. (2004) The Asian Umbelliferae Biodiversity Database (ASIUM) with particular reference to south Asian taxa. Turkish Journal of Botany 28: 139–145.
  42. POWO. (2026) The plants of the World online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available from: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org (accessed 4 April 2026)
  43. Sharma, B.M. & Kachroo, P. (1981) Flora of Jammu and Plants of neighbourhood. Vol. I. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun.
  44. Siti-Munirah, M.Y. & Dome, N. (2023) Thismia kenyirensis (Thismiaceae), a new species from Taman Negeri Kenyir, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. PhytoKeys 221: 61–72. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.221.98571
  45. Thiers, B.M. (2026) Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associate staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium, New York. Available from: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ (accessed 20 April 2026)
  46. Wagensommer, R.P. (2023) Floristic studies in the light of biodiversity knowledge and conservation. Plants 12 (16): 2973. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12162973
  47. Zych, M., Michalska, B. & Krasicka-Korczyńska, E. (2014) Myophily in the critically endangered umbelliferous plant Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 300 (1): 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-013-0870-2

How to Cite

Bhellum, B.L. & Magotra, R. (2026) Psammogeton udhampurensis sp. nov. (Apiaceae) from the Western Himalaya (India). Phytotaxa 769 (3): 279–286. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.769.3.5