RUNGIA REMADEVIAE (ACANTHACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM THE WESTERN GHATS OF KERALA, INDIA

A new species, Rungia remadeviae is described from Idukki, Kerala, Western Ghats, India. The diagnostic characters of new species are discussed and comments were made on differences between the related species Rungia apiculata Bedd. and Rungia linifolia Nees. The new species differs from Rungia apiculata in their glabrous stem, long slender lax inflorescence, conspicuous bract, length of calyx and corolla, glabrous fruit etc. and from Rungia linifolia in their terete glabrous stem, petiolate leaf, shape of lamina, architecture of inflorescence, shape of fruit and seed.