B. C A P S U L E A N D S E E D M O R P H O L O G I C A L D I V E R S I T Y I N C Y A N O T I S, M U R D A N N I A A N D R H O P A L E P H O R A Typically, loculicidal dehiscent capsule is one of the important taxonomic characters in family Commelinaceae. Capsules are usually tri-locular, but in few species of Commelina, Floscopa, Murdannia, Rhopalephora they are uni bilocular, glabrous to scabrid or variously pubescent. Based on seed arrangement genus Murdannia can be classify, the genus has uni-seriate as well as bi-seriate arrangement of seeds. Terminal embryotega is key characteristics of genus Cyanotis, while dorsal or semi dorsal is chiefly occurs in genus Murdnnia. All such capsule and seed characters having great taxonomic value, with the help of these characters present efforts have been taken to solve taxonomic complexes within taxa. Exomorphic characters of capsule and seeds of 27 species of genus Murdannia (Commelinaceae) two species of Cyanotis and Rhopalephora scaberrima and one subspecies occurring in India were investigated by light microscopic studies and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The characters of capsule studied include the size, shape and surface ornamentation, while the seed characters studied include the arrangement of seeds within the locule, number, shape, size, colour and seed coat sculpture. Present observations based on seed arrangement and sculpture can be useful in the species-level taxonomy. The systematic and biological implications of the capsule and seed characteristics are briefly discussed. CYANOTIS D. Don To solve the species complex within Cyantois fasciculata (B. Heyne ex Roth) Schult. & Schult. f. and C. glabrescens (Clarke) Nandikar & Gurav, the SEM studies has been carried out and results are discussed below 1. Cyanotis fasciculata (B. Heyne ex Roth) Schult. and Schult. f. (Plate 35 J L): Capsule, ovate, 2.8 3 x 1 1.5 mm, apex hirsute. Seeds deltate or pyramidal, 2 2.5 x 1.5 mm, brown or grey with mid ventral ridge, testa rugose, hilum ventral, rounded, embryotega terminal. 223
2. Cyanotis glabrescens (C. B. Clarke) Nandikar and Gurav (Plate 35 G I): Capsule 3 2( 3) mm, oblong, trivalved, dehiscent, apex densely covered with tuft, pointed hairs, sparsely on the ridges. Seeds 1 2 per locule (sometimes capsules are single seeded and indehiscent), elongate or elliptical in outline, 1 1.2 mm, testa medium brown, striate, finely pitted dorsally; hilum ventral, rounded; embryotega terminal. MURDANNIA Royle 1. Murdannia blumei (Hassk.) Brenan (Plate 31 A C): Capsule ovoid ellipsoid, 6 8 2.5 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds biseriate, c 10 (Masters 488269) 16 (Jenkins 488276) per locule, more or less pyramidal in shape, polygonal to rectangular in outline, 0.5 0.3 0.5 mm, testa gray with radiating low brown warts and ridges, reticulate foveate, hilum elliptic, embryotega dorsal in deep pit. 2. Murdannia brownii Nandikar & Gurav (Plate 31 D F): Capsule trilocular, trivalved, ellipsoid, apiculate, 3.5 4 2 3 mm, shiny brown. Seeds uniseriate, 4 5 per locules, 1.2 1 mm, various in shape trapezoidal triangular in outline; testa yellowish-brown to grey, falsifoveate glebulate, or alveolate; hilum elliptic; embryotega lateral. 3. Murdannia crocea subsp. ochracea (Hassk.) Faden (Plate 31 G I): Capsule ovoid ellipsoid, 0.3 4 2 2.5 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds biseriate, 6 9 per locule, 0.4 1 0.5 1 mm, ovate triangular in outline, testa dark brown, foveolate foveate, reticulate, hilum linear elliptic, embryotega dorsal semidorsal. 4. Murdannia dimorpha G. Brückn. (Fig. 64E, F; Plate 31 A C): Capsule oblong ellipsoid, 3 4 2 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, 3 4 per locule, 0.6 1.2 1.2 1.4 mm, cuboid rectangular, obovoid in outline, testa light dark brown, lightly rugose ruminate, with raised ridges, hilum punctiform oblong, one side of a large midventral pit with a central transverse ridge, embryotega dorsal to semi-dorsal. 224
5. Murdannia divergens (C. B. Clarke) G. Brückn. (Plate 31 M O): Capsule ellipsoid obovoid, brown light brown, 6.5 8 0.5 mm, glabrous. Seeds 3 5 per locule, uniseriate, 1.2 1.5 0.4 0.6 mm, trapezoidal quadrate in outline, testa light brown brown gray, foveolate alveolate, or glebulate, hilum elliptic, embryotega dorsal. 6. Murdannia edulis (Stokes) Faden (Plate 31 P R): Capsule ovate-oblong, 5 6 3 mm across, locules 4-seeded, apex mucronulate. Seed uniseriate, uniseriate, brown, 1.3 2 1.3 1.5 mm, trapezoidal deltoid, or ovoid in outline, foveolate scrobiculate, ruminate, hilum punctiform, embryotega dorsal. 7. Murdannia esculenta (Wall. ex C. B. Clarke) R. S. Rao & Kammathy (Plate 32 A C): Capsules oblong ellipsoid, 5 7 3 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, 3 6 locule, trapezoidal, ovate quadrate in outline, 1 1.5 0.8 1.5 mm, testa dark brown, rugose scorbiculate with raised, flattish, lighter brown warts and ridges on all surfaces, hilum elliptic to linear oblong, embryotega dorsal. 8. Murdannia fadeniana Nampy & Joby (Plate 32 D F): Capsule oblong ellipsoid, trivalvate, 6.5 0.8 3 3.5 mm. Seeds 10 16 per locule, biseriate, triangular rectangular in outline, 0.8 1 1.2 1.5 mm, testa ruminate reticulate, with white flaky material along the margin and surface, hilum punctiform elliptic, embryotega dorsal in deep pit. 9. Murdannia gigantea (Vahl) G. Brückn. (Plate 32 G I): Capsules ellipsoid ovoid, 0.6 10 5 6 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, (1 )2 per locule, ovoid ellipsoid in outline, 2.5 4 2 2.5 mm, testa rugose ruminate, glebulate foveolate, or alveolate with warts and ridges in line radiating from the embryotega, hilum linear, embryotega dorsal. 10. Murdannia hookeri (C. B. Clarke) G. Brückn. (Plate 32 J L): Capsule narrowly ellipsoid, trigonous, 6 1 1 2 mm, acute at both ends, apiculate at apex. Seeds uniseriate, ca. 3 per locule, rectangular quadrate, or trapezoidal in outline, 1 1.2 0.8 1.3 mm, testa reticulate foveate, or ruminate, light dark brown, or gray, hilum punctiform to linear, embryotega dorsal in large cavity. 225
11. Murdannia japonica (Thunb.) Faden (Plate 32 M O): Capsule broadly ellipsoid, trigonous, 5 4 mm, obtuse at both ends. Seeds 2--4 per valve, uniseriate, obovoid ovoid, or trapezoidal, 0.5 1 1.5 1.8 mm, testa brown-gray, reticulate, tuberculate verrucate, hilum punctiform elliptic; embryotega dorsal. 12. Murdannia semiteres var. juncoides (Wight) Nandikar & Gurav (Plate 32 P R): Capsule ovoid, 1.2 1.5 2 mm, glabrous, brown. Seeds biseriate, 8 per locule, 0.05 1 0.06 mm, ovate pyramidal, or trapezoidal in outline, testa smooth striated, or grooved with white flaky material, hilum punctiform, embryotega dorsal in deep pit. 13. Murdannia semiteres var. semiters (Dalz.) Sant. (Plate 35 A C): Capsule 1 2 0.5 1.5 mm, ellipsoid subglobose, glabrous, trilocular. Seeds 2 8 per locule, biseriate, 0.2 1 0.2 0.8 mm, rounded elliptic or trapezoidal irregularly angular; testa dark brown or grey, or black, smooth or with white flaky depositions forming striations or faintly reticulated verrucate, hilum punctiform, embroyotega dorsal. 14. Murdannia semiteres var. sahyadrica (Ancy and Nampy) Nandikar and Gurav (Plate 35 D F): Capsule 1 2 0.5 1.5 mm, ellipsoid subglobose, glabrous, trilocular; seeds biseriate, 2(3) 4 seeds per locule, 0.4 1 0.4 1 mm, testa grey black, flaky depositions forming reticulations, obovoid ovoid (rarely angular pyramidal), hilum punctiform, embroyotega dorsal. 15. Murdannia lanceolata (Wight) Kammathy (Plate 33 A C): Capsules oblong ellipsoid, 4 6 2 mm, light brown glabrous, style base persistent. Seeds biseriate, c 18 20 per locule, ovoid obovoid, or angular in outline, 0.5 8 0.5 mm, testa colliculate acellate, or reticulate alveolate, grey brown, hilum punctiform elliptic, embryotega dorsal raised on areolate surface. 16. Murdannia lanuginosa (Wall. ex C. B. Clarke) G. Brückn. (Plate 33 D F): Capsule oblong ellipsoid, 8 1 3 mm, glabrous with mucronate apex, brown. Seeds biseriate, 12 per locule, ovoid trapezoidal or pyramidal deltoid in outline, 1 1.2 1 1.5 mm, testa falsifoveate scorbiculate, or reticulate alveolate, hilum punctiform to discoid, embryotega semi-dorsal lateral. 226
17. Murdannia loriformis (Hassk.) R. S. Rao & Kammathy (Plate 33 G I): Capsule ovoid, 4 5 2.5 mm, brown. Seeds uniseriate, 2 per locule, ovoid obvoid, 1.5 2 1.5 mm; testa brown, foveolate reticulate, or tuberculate, radiately ridged with pale brownish flaky granules on the ridges around the depressions, hilum linear oblong forming a cavity; embryotega semi-dorsal. 18. Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan (Fig. 64A; Plate 33 M O): Capsule ovoid subglobose, 3 4 2 3 mm, brown, glabrous, trilocular, locule 2 seeded. Seeds uniseriate, ovoid or occasionally ellipsoid, 1.5 1 1.4 mm, testa brown, foveolate reticulate, or tuberculate, radiately ridged, with numerous pale warts around the depressions, hilum linear oblong, embryotega semi-dorsal. 19. Murdannia pauciflora (G. Brückn.) G. Brückn. (Fig. 64C; Plate 33 J L): Capsule 5 7 2 mm, linear ellipsoid. Seeds uniseriate, 3 4 per locule, dark brown black with faint white yellow in clusters, rectangular cuboid, or cylindric in outline, 0.5 1 1 mm, colliculate acellate, reticulate alveolate, white flakey material in thick round clusters; hilum linear elliptic; embryotega semi-dorsal lateral. 20. Murdannia saddlepeakensis Ramana & Nandikar: Capsule subglobose, 4 5 mm long, 3 mm wide, locules 1-seeded. Seeds elliptic or rarely ovoid, 2.5 3 mm long, 1.5 2 mm wide, testa scorbicualte on all surfaces, the depressions often partially uniting on the dorsal surface, forming a little larger, irregular depressions, dark brown, hilum linear or oblong-linear, embryotega dorsal-semidorsal, farinose sparsely in all depressions and around the embryotega. 21. Murdannia satheeshiana Joby, Nisha & Unni: Capsule 3 4 2 mm, ovateoblong, trivalvate, glabrous, green. Seeds uniseriate, 2 3 per locule, 1 1 mm, rectangular in ventral view, cylindrical to heart shaped in apical view, alveolate, grayish brown, rugose, with ridges and furrows, white farinose granules in the furrows, small ventral pit near the hilum, filled with white flakey material and farinose granules, apex rounded in basal and apical seeds, cupulate in the middle seeds, hilum ovate-elliptic, embryotega lateral. 227
22. Murdannia semiteres (Dalz.) Santapau var. sahyadrica (Ancy and Nampy) Nandikar and Gurav (Plate 34 D F): Capsule 1 2 0.5 1.5 mm, ellipsoid subglobose, glabrous, trilocular. Seeds biseriate, 2(3) 4 seeds per locule, 0.4 1 0.4 1 testa grey black, flaky depositions forming reticulations, obovoid ovoid (rarely angular pyramidal), hilum punctiform, embroyotega dorsal. 23. Murdannia semiteres var. semiteres (Dalzell) Santapau (Fig. 64H; Plate 34 A C): Capsule 1 2 0.5 1.5 mm, ellipsoid subglobose, glabrous, trilocular. Seeds 2 8 per locule, biseriate, 0.2 1 0.2 0.8 mm, rounded elliptic, or trapezoidal irregularly angular; testa dark brown, or grey, or black, smooth, or with white flaky depositions forming striations, or faintly reticulated verrucate, hilum punctiform, embroyotega dorsal. 24. Murdannia simplex (Vahl) Brenan (Plate 33 P R): Capsule ovoid to subglobbose, 5 3 3.5 mm, brown, glabrous, locules 2 seeded. Seeds uniseriate, obovoid ellipsoid in outline, 1.6 2 1.5 mm, testa brown, faintly rugose, foveolate scorbiculate, or reticulate granulate, with pale falky material around the depressions, hilum linear oblong, embryotega semidorsal. 25. Murdannia spirata (L.) G. Brückn. var. spirata (Fig. 64D; Plate 34 A C): Capsule ovoid ellipsoid, 2.5 4.5 1.5 2 mm, brown glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, 2 7 per locule, obovoid ovoid, or trapezoidal in outline, 0.4 1 0.7 1 mm, testa brown, rarely gray, foveolate reticulate, falsifoveate scorbiculate, verrucose, or acellate, with raised warts and short ridges, hilum punctiform elliptic, embryotega semi-dorsal dorsal. 26. Murdannia spirata (L.) G. Brückn. var. flavanthera Nandikar and Gurav (Plate 34 D F) Capsule ovoid to ellipsoid; seeds 5 6 per locule, testa smooth alveolate, or reticulate or areolate reticulate (under SEM), slightly raised warts. 27. Murdannia striatipetala Faden (Plate 34 G I): Capsule oblong ellipsoid, 3 4.5 1.5 2 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseraite, 4 7 per locule, obovoid ovoid, or trapezoidal in outline, 0.6 0.5 mm, testa grey grey brown, alveolate 228
colliculate, or reticulate, hilum punctiform elliptic, embryotega semi-dorsal dorsal. 28. Murdannia vaginata var. vaginata (L.) G.Brückn. (Plate 34 M O): Capsule stipitate, ovoid, 4 3 3.5 mm, brown glabrous. Seeds one per locule, ellipsoid or broadly ellipsoid in outline, dorsiventrally compressed, 1.7 2 1.3 1.8 mm, testa grey to grey brown, reticulate colliculate covered with a raised irregular reticulate appendages, hilum linear, embryotega dorsal raised in discoid cavity. 29. Murdannia versicolor (Dalzell) G. Brückn. (Plate 34 J L): Capsule ovoid, 5 6 2 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds 7 9 per locule, uniseriate, 0.7 1 0.6 mm, cuboid rectangular, or obovoid in outline, testa gray to light brown, rugose ruminate, or reticulate foveolate, warty, covered with white flaky granulates, hilum elliptic, embryotega dorsal. 30. Murdannia zeylanica (C. B. Clarke) G. Brückn. (Plate 34 P R): Capsule oblong ellipsoid, 4 7 2.5 mm, brown, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, 3 6 per locule, cuboid rectangular, or trapezoidal in outline, 0.6 1.5 1 1.2 mm, testa gray brown, tuberculate, or reticulate scorbiculate, or reticulate fovelate, flattish, raised ridges and warts, sometimes white farinose around the hilum, hilum elliptic linear, on a longitudinal ridge, embryotega dorsal semi-dorsal. RHOPALEPHORA Hassk. In India genus Rhopalephora is represented by only a single species viz. R. scaberrmia, In addition, one subspecies has been proposed during present study and to distinguish the typical one from the proposed new variety viz. R. scaberrmia var. sessilis the SEM studies has been carried out and results are illustrated below. 1. Rhopalephora scaberrima (Blume) Faden subsp. scaberrima (Plate 35 M O): Capsule trilocular 4 6 10 mm, shortly stipitate, hispid, subglobose, unequalsided, more than 3 mm in diam., ventrally subglobose, densely covered with hooked hairs, crowned by the long persistent style, coriaceous, ventral locule 229
indehiscent, lateral locules flattened and dehiscent. Seeds usually 3, one per locule, sometimes 2, very rarely 1, 4 3 mm long, flat, broadly oblong-elliptic, planoconvex, reticulately foveolate; hilum linear, embryotega lateral. 2. Rhopalephora scaberrima (Blume) Faden subsp. sessilis Nandikar & Gurav (Plate 35 P R): Capsules and seeds roughly reticulate to scrobiculate with white farinose granules in the depressions, dark orange to pale salmon coloured seeds, opposed to stipitate, humpbacked, densely puberulous capsules and reticulate, smooth, grey to white seeds. 230