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Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 7(2): 115-119, 2018 (December)
- Short communication
Rediscovery of Gonostegia Pentandra (Roxb.) Miq. (Urticaceae) from
Bangladesh Sundarban
Mohammad Sayedur Rahman1, Gazi Mosharof Hossain*, Saleh Ahammad Khan
and Sarder Nasir Uddin1
Department of Botany, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Key words: Gonostegia pentandra, Rediscovery, Sundarban, Bangladesh.
Gonostegia Turcz. (Urticaceae), comprised of three species viz., G. hirta (Blume ex
Hassk.) Miq. G. parvifolia (Wight) Miq. and G. pentandra (Roxb.) Miq. is distributed in
the tropics and sub-tropics of Asia and Australia (Jiarui et al., 2003). Hooker (1885)
described the species G. pentandra as Pouzolzia pentandra (Roxb.) Benn. from Kangra of
Tropical Himalaya, eastwards to Assam, the Khasia Mts. and Bengal, and southwards to
Orissa and Canara. Jiarui et al. (2003) and Shrestha et al. (2005) have re-established the
genus Gonostegia and synonymized P. pentandra under G. pentandra. Prain (1903)
described it as P. pentandra from Orissa and Chota Nagpur only.
This species has never been mentioned in any publication on the flora covering the
present territory of Bangladesh (e.g., Heinig, 1925; Raizada, 1941; Khan & Banu, 1969;
Alam, 1988; Mia & Khan, 1995; Uddin et al., 1998; Rahman, 2004 and Rahman, 2009).
No specimen of this species is found to be deposited in any herbarium of this country
since Clark's original collection before 1888 (Clarke 21774) from Jeasore, Khorlna, i.e.,
Jessore and Khulna of present Bangladesh territory which is reported to be housed in Kew
Herbarium (Wilmot-Dear & Friis, 2006).
In 2011 and 2012, the first and second authors collected two specimens of Gonostegia
from two localities of Sarankhola forest range of Sundarban located in Bagherhat district.
These specimens have been identified here as G. pentandra. As this species has never
been recorded from Bangladesh within last 128 years since its original collection by C.B.
Clarke. Therefore this species has been reported here as a rediscovery for Bangladesh.
Though rediscovery is not a routine taxonomic work, occasionally taxonomists had have
to rediscover the previously published taxa that could not be located since many years to
confirm their present occurrence and exact distribution (Ardiyani et al., 2011; Uddin et
al., 2011; Yeo et al., 2012). These specimens are presently deposited at Jahangirnagar
1 Bangladesh National Herbarium, Chiriakhana Road, Mirpur-1, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
* Corresponding author. E-mail: gazibotju@gmail.com.
116 Rahman et al.
University Herbarium (JUH). The taxonomic description including the illustration (Fig. 1)
and photograph (Fig. 2) of this species are given below.
Fig. 1. Gonostegia pentandra; (a) Habit, (b) a flowering twig, (c) T.S. of perianth tube, (d) a
perianth, (e) stamen, (f) achene with wing and style
Gonostegia pentandra (Roxb.) Miq., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi. 4: 302 (1868-
1869).
Urtica pentandra Roxb., Fl. Ind., ed. 3: 583 (1832). Gonostegia pentandra var. akoensis
(Yamam.) Masam.; G. pentandra var. hypericifolia (Blume) Masam.; Memorialis
pentandra (Roxb.) Wedd.; M. pentandra var. hypericifolia (Blume) Wedd.; Pouzolzia
hypericifolia Blume; P. pentandra (Roxb.) Benn.
Rediscovery Gonostegia Pentandra Bangladesh, Sundarban 117
Perennial erect herbs, up to 1 m tall, monoecious. Stem cylindrical at the lower part and
tetrangular at the above. Lower leaves opposite, upper leaves sub-opposite to alternate,
gradually smaller towards the upper part; petioles 0-4 mm long; lamina lanceolate or
linear-lanceolate, 0.7-5.2 (5.4) × 0.2-0.8 cm, adaxially and abaxially glabrous, lepidolate
abaxially, tri-nerved, margins entire, apices acute to acuminate, bases rounded to sub-
cordate, lamina of lower leaves lanceolate, 4.7-5.2(5.4) × 0.6-0.8 cm, lamina of upper
leaves linear-lanceolate, 0.7-3.0 × 0.2-0.5 cm. Stipules ovate, 1.0-2.0 mm. Inflorescence
glomerules, bisexual, each composed of 5-8 flowers, exist only at the axils of upper
leaves. Flowers unisexual, perianth light green or greenish white. Male flowers
pedicillate, pedicels 2.0-2.2 mm long; buds 2.0 mm in diameter; perianth lobes 5, each
lobe 1.5-1.7 × 0.6-0.7 mm, apex truncate with 2-3 cilia; stamens 5, anthers bilobed,
dorsifixed, 0.2-0.5 × 0.1-0.2 mm, flilament 1.0-1.2 mm. Female flowers sessile; perianth
persistent, in ellipsoid tube, longitudinally 2-3 winged in fruiting stage, wings 2.5 × 1.5
mm; style villous, 3.5 mm long, stigma inconspicuous. Achene black, 1.0-1.2 mm.
Flowering and fruiting in June to September.
Ecology: Grows in moist low lands along river side.
Fig. 2. Photograph of living sample of Gonostegia pentandra (indicated by arrow marks)
118 Rahman et al.
Uses: Useful in the treatment of skin rashes (Hammond, 2012).
Distribution: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Specimens examined: Bagherhat district: Sundarbans east forest division, near
Sarankhola forest range office, 22.08.2011, Sayedur 566 (JUH); Near Bogi forest station,
18.06.2012, Mosharof 635 (JUH).
Acknowledgement: The fellowship awarded to the first author by the Ministry of Science
and Technology is gratefully acknowledged.
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