IDENTITY AND STATUS OF RECENTLY DESCRIBED CYCAS PSCHANNAE (CYCADACEAE) IN THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA

After examining the diagnostic taxonomic characters on a cultivated plant in AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah, W.B., India a new cycad Cycas pschannae R.C. Srivast. & L.J. Singh (Cycadaceae) has been recently described. The authors also mentioned occurrence of this species as wild in Andaman Islands of India without exsiccata and any other supporting evidence. Detailed population assessment of the species and its distribution has not been carried out so far. Therefore, in the present paper the species is described and illustrated along with its distribution, structure of natural population, habitat ecology, biogeography morpho-anatomical characters along with its comparison to closely related species like C. dharmrajii L.J. Singh and C. Zeylanica (Schust.) A. Lindstrom.& Hill in detail for the first time. A key to the species of Cycas from Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.