Observations on the Seedling Morphology of two species of Napeta

Abstract

This paper provides information on morpho taxonomic observations of juvenile stages and seedlings in two species of Napeta- Napeta rudaralis and Napeta hindostana. Seedling morphology was observed upto 5^th leaf stages. Morphological features of seedling like coleoptile, hypocotyl, epicotyl, shape and arrangement of para-cotyledons, leaf base, color, phyllotaxy, number of veins etc. represent high level of constancy within taxon and, thus, have been found useful from taxonomic point of view in identification and eradication of weed at juvenile stage.  Nepeta hindostana, commonly known as North Indian Catmint or Indian Catnip, is a medicinal herb in the Lamiaceae family found in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. North Indian Catmint is an annual or short-lived perennial herb. Stems are erect or ascending, rather slender, 30-50 cm. Leaves are broad ovate or triangular-ovate up to about 2.5 x 2.5 cm, dentate, stalked. Stalk of the lowermost leaves is up to 2 cm long. Inflorescence is lax, composed of many clearly stalked cymes, at least below, or verticillasters, mostly distant. Flower-stalks are up to 3 mm. Bracts are linear-subulate, about as long as calyces, ciliate. Sepal cup is 3.5-4 mm, often purplish, with spreading villous hairs, narrow tubular, throat oblique, teeth about 1/3-1/4 length of tube. Flowers are lilac to purplish, about 8 mm. Nutlets are about 1 x 0.6 mm, oblong-ellipsoid, palish brown, depressed- tuberculate. North Indian Catmint is endemic to India found in Punjab, Upper Gangetic plains, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Deccan Plateau up to an altitude of 2400 m in the Himalayas. Nepeta ruderalis Buch.Ham. ex Benth. commonly known as Badranj Boya, is a medium-sized, aromatic annual herb in the Lamiaceae family found in the Indo-Pak-Bangladesh subcontinent.

Key words: Nepeta hindostana, Nepeta ruderalis Buch.Ham. ex Benth., Morphology, Juvenile, Taxonomy.