Lasianthus agasthyamalayanus is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. The species was formally described in 2018 from the Agasthyamalai region of the southern Western Ghats.
Description Lasianthus agasthyamalayanus is an understory shrub of evergreen forests. It resembles Lasianthus obliquus but differs in having glabrous mature branches, comparatively smaller leaves with apiculate apices, broadly ovate triangular stipules, larger flowers, elliptic-lanceolate calyx lobes, and black mature fruits.
Taxonomy The species was described by Jagadeesan Raveendran, Sam P. Mathew, Gangaprasad Appukuttannair and E.S. Santhosh Kumar in 2018. It belongs to the genus Lasianthus, a tropical Asian genus within the tribe Lasiantheae of the family Rubiaceae.
Distribution and habitat The species is known only from the southern Western Ghats in Kerala, particularly from the Agasthyamalai hills. It grows in tropical evergreen forest habitats.
Etymology The specific epithet agasthyamalayanus refers to the Agasthyamalai region of the southern Western Ghats, where the species was discovered.
References
External links Lasianthus agasthyamalayanus R.Jagad., S.P.Mathew, Gangapr. & E.S.S.Kumar at Plants of the World Online Lasianthus agasthyamalayanus R.Jagad., S.P.Mathew, Gangapr. & E.S.S.Kumar at GBIF Lasianthus agasthyamalayanus R.Jagad., S.P.Mathew, Gangapr. & E.S.S.Kumar at The World Flora Online