Sepalous Barleria

 Barleria sepalosa C.B. Clarke commonly known as Sepalous Barleria (Koranti in vernacular langaue) is found growing on exposed hill slopes at about 1200 m at Torana fort in Northern Western Ghats along with other species viz. Abutilon ranadei Woodrow and Stapf., Arthraxon lanceolatus var. meeboldii (Stapf.) Welzen, A. lanceolatus var. villosus (C.E.C. Fisch.) Welzen, Blepharis repens Roth, Dichanthium jainii (Deshp. And Hemadri) Deshp., Echinopus echinatus Roxb., Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz.,Strobilanthes callosus Nees, S. sessilis Nees, Swertia densifolia (Griseb.) Knobl., Trachyspermum roxburghianum (DC.) H. This species is currently known only from a single locality with an area of occupancy less than 1 km2 area, and the population consists of not more than 100 plants. Hence the species qualifies to be assessed under Critically Endangered: CRB 1ab (i, ii) (IUCN, 2010) category Barleria sepalosa C.B. Clarke is closely related to the Barleria lawii T. Anderson but differ by its outer broad sepals with serrate margin, size and shape of bracts and flower. The plant appears bushy like Topali Carvi (Strobilanthes sessilis) and bears white florescent colored flowers. Ex-situ conservation efforts have been done by botanists and researchers in Lead Botanical Garden, Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur and Naoroji Godrej Centre for Plant Research (NGCPR), Shirwal, Pune. You can read more such articles in Ecotrail - our bimonthly magazine on Environment and Education.Link: www.trailblazersindia.com/magazine