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Issue: Vol. 781 No. 1: 20 Oct. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-10-20
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.781.1.1
Page range: 1-35
Abstract views: 82
PDF downloaded: 6

Islands of Geophytes: A comprehensive checklist and biogeographic analysis of the geophytic flora of the Northern Western Ghats and Konkan, India

Agharkar Research Institute; Gopal Ganesh Agarkar Road; Pune-411 004; Maharashtra; India
Ecological Society; Gokhale Nagar; Pune-411016; Maharashtra; India
Agharkar Research Institute; Gopal Ganesh Agarkar Road; Pune-411 004; Maharashtra; India
Agharkar Research Institute; Gopal Ganesh Agarkar Road; Pune-411 004; Maharashtra; India
Monocots Climate Seasonality Endemism Island Biogeography Theory Seasonal drought Underground storage organ

Abstract

Geophytes are perennial plants that persist through seasonal stress via underground storage organs. They are a conspicuous and ecologically significant component of the flora of the Northern Western Ghats and Konkan (NWGK), a biogeographically distinct unit within the Western Ghats—Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Although a preliminary checklist of geophytes from the northern Western Ghats exists, no comprehensive inventory incorporating the Konkan region, recent taxonomic revisions, and systematic data on USO types, phenology, and endemism has previously been available. Here we present a systematic checklist of 305 geophyte species belonging to 72 genera and 26 families from NWGK, compiled from published floras, taxonomic revisions, herbarium records from four major regional collections, and long-term field observations. Cyperaceae (62 spp.), Orchidaceae (53 spp.), Asparagaceae (32 spp.), and Araceae (30 spp.) are the most species-rich families, together accounting for approximately 58% of regional geophyte diversity. Monocotyledons dominate the flora (237 spp.; 77.7%), consistent with global patterns. Tuberous species are the most common underground storage organ type (52.13%), followed by rhizomatous (31.48%), bulbous (11.48%), and corm-bearing taxa (4.9%). Flowering phenology is tightly coupled to the southwest monsoon, peaking in August–September (207 spp.). Of the 305 species, 140 (45.9%) are endemic at one or more geographic scales, including 81 (26.6%) restricted exclusively to NWGK, one of the highest rates of geophyte micro endemism documented in tropical Asia. The non-asymptotic species discovery curve indicates the flora remains incompletely known. We interpret the exceptional richness and endemism of NWGK geophytes within a nested island biogeographic framework. NWGK itself functions as a macro-scale habitat island within the hotspot, while its lateritic plateaus and rocky outcrops constitute micro-islands within, a two-tiered isolating architecture which combined with the physiological filter of the eight-month dry season, promotes ongoing geophyte diversification and micro endemism accumulation.

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How to Cite

Balakumar, S., Palsodkar, J., Korde, A. & Datar, M.N. (2026) Islands of Geophytes: A comprehensive checklist and biogeographic analysis of the geophytic flora of the Northern Western Ghats and Konkan, India. Phytotaxa 781 (1): 1–35. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.781.1.1