A revision of genus Actinodaphne Nees (Lauraceae) in the Indo-Burmese region

Abstract

A taxonomic revision of the genus Actinodaphne Nees in the Indo-Burmese region is presented including Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Twenty eight species (two species having two varieties each) are recognized and treated with field images (of six species), key to the species, nomenclature, synonymy, typifications, descriptions, vernacular names, uses, if any, flowering and fruiting periods, habitats and citation of selected specimens examined. Actinodaphne salicina Meisn. and A. shendurunii Robi & Udayan are reduced to synonyms of A. elegans Thwaites and A. lanata Meisn. respectively. In addition, A. obovata (Nees) Blume var. wattii Kanjilal et al. is merged under the typical variety. Lectotypes have been designated for the names A. obovata var. obovata, A. obovata var. wattii and A. sikkimensis Meisn. The name A. salicina has been epitypified. Occurrence of A. elegans in India is recorded for the first time