<Sonerila bababudangiriensis> (Melastomataceae), a new species of herb from the Western Ghats of India

Sonerila bababudangiriensis is a caulescent or tuberous new species found in Bababudangiri, Chikkmagaluru District, Karnataka, which lies in the Western Ghats. The species has distinguished characteristics that sets it apart from the other species of the genus Sonerila worldwide. It is compared to Sonerila wallichii Benn., a species from the same habitat. The two species differ in characteristics such as tuber, leaf morphology, inflorescence structure, and micromorphology, which are described and illustrated in relevant images. The present report discusses the newly described species, Sonerila bababudangiriensis, from Western Ghats, India.