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Sunday, September 11th, 2022
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| 10:33a | [Botany • 2022] Strobilanthes hians • Strobilanthes Blume (Acanthaceae) in Myanmar, A New Species and An Updated checklist
Summary A brief history of the discovery of Strobilanthes species in Myanmar is presented. The revival of fieldwork in recent years has resulted in many new records, so an updated checklist of all known species from the country is needed. Selected specimens are cited and distribution notes provided. One new species, Strobilanthes hians J.R.I.Wood & K.Armstr., with unusual pollen, is described and illustrated bringing the total of recognised species in the country to 81 with six additional infraspecific taxa. Keywords: Kachin, Naga Hills, Natma Taung, Sagaing, Shan, species description
Strobilanthes hians J.R.I.Wood & K.Armstr., sp. nov. RECOGNITION. The gaping subcampanulate corolla with four exserted stamens immediately stands out as it is a relatively unusual character found in very few other species of Strobilanthes. This species appears to be closest to S. rostrata Y.F.Deng & J.R.I.Wood from Yunnan in China in its slightly unequal, glabrous or near glabrous leaves, terminal inflorescence with branched leafless spikes and ±linear bracts and bracteoles but differs in the glabrous calyx, bracts and bracteoles (not thinly glandular-pilose), and the white tomentellous corolla (not blue, not glabrous). It might also be compared with S. helicta T.Anderson but the inflorescence of S. helicta is clearly axillary and the corolla is glabrous and strongly ventricose. The pollen is of an unusual type superficially similar to that of S. japonica (Thunb.) Miq., S. oligantha Miq. and its allies (Deng et al. 2006: 372) but clearly ellipsoid in shape and with tectum apparently absent. ETYMOLOGY. The specific epithet is in reference to the gaping shape of the open corolla. John R. I. Wood, Mu Mu Aung, Tom Wells and Kate E. Armstrong. 2022. Strobilanthes Blume (Acanthaceae) in Myanmar, A New Species and An Updated checklist. Kew Bulletin. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10033-4 | ||||||||||
| 10:50a | [Botany • 2022] Three Species of Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) recollected in the Footsteps of Rudolf Schlechter in Papua New Guinea 
Abstract The German botanist, F. R. R. Schlechter, collected three species of Etlingera around 1907 in “Kaiser-Wilhelmsland”, now the northern part of Papua New Guinea. Based on these collections, Valeton described three new species in 1914 in Geanthus, but the types collected by Schlechter kept in the Berlin Herbarium were lost during the Second World War. Using a map published by Schlechter in 1911, it was possible to pin down where the types had been collected, and during fieldwork in November 2019 these species were recollected near their type localities. Two of the species had meanwhile been collected from several other places in Papua New Guinea. The current paper includes much improved descriptions and illustrations (ink drawings and a plate with colour photographs) of the three species. Lectotypes are designated for E. densiuscula and E. grandiflora and a neotype is designated for E. vestita. KEYWORDS: Etlingera, Geanthus, Papua New Guinea, Rudolf Schlechter, Typification, Valeton, Zingiberaceae
Tracing Etlingera collections made by Schlechter 1. Etlingera densiuscula (Valeton) R. M. Sm. in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43: 244. 1986 ≡ Geanthus densiusculus Valeton in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 52: 56. 1914. Etymology — The specific epithet means “moderately dense”, possibly referring to the flower head. Vernacular name and uses —mbsang (Amung language, Poulsen & al. 3189), no uses informed, tastes sour-aromatic similar to Etlingera elatior (Jack) R. M. Sm.; momo waimamo (Nabak language, Poulsen & al. 3129), used as substitute for betel nut (Areca cathechu L.).  
2. Etlingera grandiflora (Valeton) R. M. Sm. in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43: 245. 1986 ≡ Geanthus grandiflorus Valeton in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 52: 56. 1914. Etymology — The specific epithet means “large flowered” and Valeton (1914) emphasized the large flowers as a diagnostic character compared to other species from New Guinea that he knew at the time. Vernacular name and uses — saru (Amung language, Poulsen & al. 3191), no uses informed. 
3. Etlingera vestita (Valeton) R. M. Sm. in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43: 250. 1986 ≡ Geanthus vestitus Valeton in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 52: 55. 1914. Etymology — The specific epithet means “clothed” and Valeton (1914) was probably referring to the densely silky-haired, almost felted, abaxial surface of the leaf blade. Vernacular name and uses — mbsang (Amung language, Poulsen & al. 3190), no uses informed, tastes slightly bitter; sukur yaulib or sukur pai (Aiku language; saingil means long, Poulsen & al. 3063), no uses informed, lamina smells of chocolate. Axel Dalberg Poulsen, Philip Pomoso and Thomas Magun. 2022. Three Species of Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) recollected in the Footsteps of Rudolf Schlechter in Papua New Guinea. Willdenowia. 52(2); 153-165. DOI: 10.3372/wi.52.52201 | ||||||||||
| 10:50a | [Botany • 2022] Petalidium mannheimerae (Acanthaceae) • A New Species from Namibia and South Africa, with Notes on the Taxonomic Identity of P. parvifolium
Abstract Petalidium mannheimerae, here described as a new species, is only known from the Gariep Centre of Plant Endemism in southern Namibia and northwestern South Africa. Apparently first collected in 1961, it grows on arid hillsides and in drainage lines. Diagnostic morphological characters for P. mannheimerae include the rigid, cylindrical distal stems, grey-brown or yellow-brown bark, puberulent vegetative parts with sparsely scattered but robust glandular and eglandular trichomes, and the solitary white flowers with the unexpanded part of the corolla tube shorter than the expanded part. A comparison of some of the more prominent features to differentiate Petalidium mannheimerae from its morphologically most similar relatives is provided. Based on IUCN Red List categories and criteria, a conservation assessment of Vulnerable VU D1 is recommended for the new species. Herbarium specimens of P. mannheimerae have long been misidentified as P. parvifolium, a rarely collected species from east-central Namibia and west-central Botswana. Lectotypes are designated for three taxa, namely P. parvifolium, P. parvifolium var. angustifolium (a synonym of P. linifolium), and P. wilmaniae (a synonym of P. parvifolium). Keywords: desert, endemism, flora, Gariep Centre, lectotypification, Ruellieae, taxonomy
Petalidium mannheimerae Swanepoel, Nanyeni & A.E.van Wyk, sp. nov. Diagnosis:—A woody dwarf shrub up to 1.5 m tall, morphologically most similar to Petalidium lucens and P. parvifolium differing from both in having the lamina semi-succulent, subconduplicate to conduplicate, recurved towards apex, and with lateral veins indistinct or absent (vs. lamina not succulent, flat, lateral veins distinct); from P. lucens in having indumentum on vegetative parts puberulent and on leaf margins having widely spaced, robust, stalked glands (vs. dense short simple or sessile stellate trichomes [with 2 or 3 branches], usually with isolated dendritic trichomes in addition, glabrescent), corolla lobes white (vs. mauve or light blue); from P. parvifolium in having indumentum on vegetative parts puberulent (vs. scattered sessile glandular trichomes), leaf margins with widely spaced, robust, stalked glandular trichomes (vs. trichomes absent), corolla white (vs. mauve, white or white with lilac tinge). Etymology:—The specific epithet honours Mrs Coleen Anne Mannheimer [1957– ], renowned Namibian botanist and former curator of the National Herbarium of Namibia (WIND). She has collected widely in Namibia and has authored or co-authored several publications on the Namibian flora. Coleen introduced one of us (LN) to botany and botanical fieldwork and has since been a mentor to him in the herbarium and in the field. Her knowledge of the Namibian flora is exceptional and her ability to develop and encourage future Namibian botanists has been profound. Distribution and habitat:—At present, Petalidium mannheimerae is known in Namibia from the vicinity of Aussenkehr in the Orange River Valley and in South Africa from ca. 30 km south of Vioolsdrif to near Eksteenfontein in the Richtersveld (Fig. 2). It occurs 92–110 km from the Atlantic Ocean on hillsides and drainage lines, at elevations of 134–187 m in Namibia and in South Africa at 551–700 m a.s.l. Average annual rainfall in the area is less than 50 mm (Mendelsohn et al. 2002). Wessel Swanepoel, Leevi Nanyen and Abraham E. van Wyk. 2022. Petalidium mannheimerae (Acanthaceae), A New Species from Namibia and South Africa, with Notes on the Taxonomic Identity of P. parvifolium. Phytotaxa. 561(1); 1-13. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.561.1.1 |
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