275 2012] ISEILEMA - A NEW GENERIC RECORD FOR NORTH EASTERN INDIA N E L U M B O 54 : 275 - 277, 2012 ISSN 0976 5069 Date of publication: 30th December, 2012 © Botanical Survey of India, 2012 ISEILEMA - A NEW GENERIC RECORD FOR NORTH EASTERN INDIA S. PATHAK & P. SINGH Botanical Survey of India, CGO Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata- 700064 E-mail: pchanna@gmail.com. Poaceae, one of the largest families of flowering plants are represented globally by 10, 550 species belonging to 715 genera (Mabberley, 2008) and by 1, 334 species under 261 genera in India (Karthikeyan, 2005). Iseilema Andersson, has 20 species chiefly distributed in Southeast Asia to Australia. In India, 7 species are reported to occur (Karthikeyan, ibid.; K. A. A. Kabeer,. & V. J. Nair, 2009); showing self-consistent system of evolutionary mechanisms (Rao, 1975). Hitherto, Iseilema species were not reported from North-Eastern region. Therefore, the present collection from Mizoram forms first report to North-Eastern India. Intensive field visits were conducted at regular intervals in different areas from March-April, 2010 and April-June, 2011 for collection and study of grasses and bamboos of Mizoram. The collected materials were processed following standard herbarium techniques, specimens were correctly identified with the help of literature and authentic specimens available at ASSAM and CAL herbaria. While identifying the specimens collected form Mizoram, a collection from Dampa Tiger Reserve was identified as Iseilema anthephoroides Hack. It was observed that the genus Iseilema was not known from North-East India (Bor. 1940, Kumar, 1996, Shukla, 1996, Noltie, 2000) and reported from peninsular India (Bor, 1960, Karthikeyan & al 1989). Therefore, the present collection is not only an extended distribution of this species, but also of the genus to the North- Eastern India. Detailed description is provided along with illustration to facilitate identification. Iseilema anthephoroides Hack. in A. DC & C. DC. Monogr. Phan. 6: 683. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 218. 1896; Rang. & Tadul., Handb. S. Ind. Grasses: 219. tt. 169, 170. 1921; C.E.C. Fisch. in Gamble, Fl. Madras 3: 1748. 1934; Bor, Grass. Burma, Ceylon, India and Pakistan, 187. 1960; K. M. Matthew, III. Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 2: tt. 886, 887. 1982; Britto & K. M. Matthew in K. M. Matthew, Fl. Tamilnadu Carnatic 3(2):1870. 1983; Karthik. et al., Fl. Ind. Enum. Monocot. 233. 1989; V. J. Nair in A. N. Henry & al., Fl. Tamilnadu Anal. 3: 124. 1989; S. Moulik, Grass. Bamb. India 1: 235. 1997. Perennials. Culms tufted, up to 263 cm high, slender ascending from prostrate base, finely hairy at the junction of the root and culm. Culms thin, slender, cylindrical, glabrous; nodes slightly bulging, glabrous, reddish-green; sometimes with a brown ring. Leaf blades 4 - 7 × 0.3 - 0.4cm, lanceolate, clustered at base, obtuse at apex, rounded at base; green to whitish-green, entire, scabrid, mid-rib whitish, flat, lateral veins many; ligule c. 0.2mm long, membranous, white, mouth ciliate, cilia 0.3 - 0.4 mm; sheath keeled, 1.7 - 2cm long , dorsally compressed. Panicle linear, up to 13cm long, peduncle short, enclosed within the spathe, spathe oblong-elliptic, apically constricted, aristate, dorsally keeled; ribbed, ribs prominent; tuberculate hairy along margins, especially towards apex; hairs 2 - 2.2mm long, white. Racemes with 4 male involucral spikelets at base, 1 sessile bisexual spikelet, 2 pedicelled male or barren spikelets; all disarticulating from the base of the peduncle; callus 0.5 - 0.6 mm long ; white, bearded, hairs 2.5mm long, apex of callus forming a cup shaped bulge. Involucral spikelets pedicelled, oblong-lanceolate, 4 × 1 mm, glabrous, greenish-brown; pedicels hispid. Lower glume oblong- lanceolate, 4 × 1.2mm, acute, chartaceous; yellowish-green, prominently 3- nerved, 2 lateral nerves placed close to the margin, central nerve white, slightly grooved, 2 keeled at apex, keels scabrellate; apex hyaline, faintly hairy at the back. Upper glume oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, c. 3.9 × 1.1mm, acute; scale like; delicate; margins narrowly folded; apex hyaline, 3 nerved, central nerve prominent, 2 lateral ones faint or absent. Lemma, c. 1.3 × 0.2mm, oblong, delicate, partly hyaline, acute. Stamens 3, anthers yellow, filaments, white, hyaline; 2.5mm long. Sessile spikelets oblong-elliptic, 5.5 × 1.1mm, yellowish-green, awned; rachis smooth. Lower glume oblong-elliptic up to middle and caudate from above middle, 2 toothed, c. 5.8×1.1mm, chartaceous, yellowish-green, 5-nerved, central nerve prominent, scabrellate on nerves, 2 keeled above middle, keels scabri,