Eugenia elapparensis Robi, Balan & Sujanapal 2024, sp. nov.

Eugenia elapparensis Robi, Balan & Sujanapal, sp. nov. (Fig. 1 & 2). Type:— INDIA. Kerala: Idukki distr., Elappara, ± 1496 m, 24 December 2022, (fl.) A.J. Robi & Anoop P. Balan 496 (holotype, MH!; Isotypes, BAM!, KFRI!). Diagnosis:— Eugenia elapparensis is morphologically close to E. calcadensis Beddome (1874: 35 and plate 162 [“CLXII”]) but differs by having shrubby habit (vs. small trees), fulvous tomentose branchlets (vs. rusty pubescent), elliptic-lanceolate leaves, 4.5–6 × 1.8–2.5 cm (vs. elliptic-oblanceolate, 5–10 × 2.5–4 cm), acute or rounded at base, acuminate at apex (vs. cuneate at base, acute at apex), petioles 2−3 mm long (vs. up to 8 mm long), lateral veins 12–17 pairs (vs. 5–7 pairs), flowers solitary or 3-flowered (vs. binate), pedicels to 1 cm long (vs. 2–3 cm long), calyx lobes ovate, acute (vs. orbicular), and disc quadrangular, grey-tomentose (vs. sub-orbicular, wooly). (Table 1) Description:—Shrubs, up to 3 m tall. Branchlets terete, fulvous tomentose; internodes 1−2.5 cm long. Leaves opposite, simple, elliptic-lanceolate, 4.5–6 × 1.8–2.5 cm, acute or rounded at base, acuminate (acumen 1–1.4 cm long) at apex, coriaceous, glabrous; midrib prominent beneath, slightly grooved above; lateral veins 12–17 at each side, fainted; petioles 2−3 mm long, glabrous, rounded beneath, grooved above. Flowers white, solitary, axillary or in 3-flowered terminal fascicle to 6 mm long; peduncles 4−5 mm long, fulvous tomentose; pedicles slender 1 cm long, terete, fulvous tomentose; bracts linear, 3 mm long; bracteoles linear, 2 mm long, fulvous tomentose. Calyx tube obconic, adnate to ovary, fulvous tomentose; lobes 4, 3−4 × 2−3 mm, ovate, acute at apex, equal between them, margin ciliate, fulvous hairy outside, glabrous and gland-dotted inside, membranous. Petals 4, orbicular, ca. 6.5 × 4.5 mm, margin ciliate, rounded at apex, silky outside, glabrous inside, membranous. Disc raised, quadrangular, densely grey-tomentose, 4−5 mm diam., glandular. Stamens many, unequal, 6−8 mm long; filaments filiform, 5−7 mm long; anthers ovate, 2-celled, ca. 1.5 mm long, versatile. Ovary globose, 2-celled, ovules many, axile placentation; style subulate, ca. 6 mm long; stigma simple, acute at apex. Drupes globose, ca. 1.5× 1.6 cm, glabrous with persistent calyx, green or purple; seeds 2, ovoid, ca. 10 mm diam. Phenology:—Flowering: November-January; fruiting: March-June. Distribution:—So far, known only from the type locality. Etymology:—The specific epithet is after the type locality, Elappara, Idukki district, Kerala, India. Conservation status:—So far, Eugenia elapparensis is known from a single locality only. Elappara hills are covered by continuous dense evergreen patches and grasslands with several Western Ghats endemic species. The evergreen patches of Elappara and nearby hills are under severe threat due to pilgrimage, plantation activities, encroachment, tourism and fire. In the absence of any detailed data on populations, the species is categorized as ‘Data Deficient’ (DD) (IUCN 2019). Paratype: — INDIA, Kerala: Idukki distr., Elappara, 1496 m, 24 March 2023, fr., A.J. Robi 555 (BAM!).