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Wednesday, March 13th, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||
| 2:08a | [Botany • 2024] Lasjia griseifolia (Proteaceae) • A New Species from Sulawesi, Indonesia
Summary Lasjia griseifolia Utteridge & Brambach, a member of the Proteaceae, is described and illustrated as a new species from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The new species is similar to L. erecta, also from Sulawesi, and morphological differences between the taxa are discussed; a line illustration and detailed notes on the conservation status are provided. Key Words: Macadamia, Malesia, Proteales, ultramafic, Wallacea
Lasjia griseifolia Utteridge & Brambach sp. nov. RECOGNITION. Recognised in the genus Lasjia by the combination of the following characters: indumentum of persistent simple matted hairs throughout the plant (on the hardened stems, mature leaves, inflorescence axes, pedicels and abaxial tepal surfaces) and the very short pedicels less than 3.5 mm long; in addition, the new species usually has whorls of 5 leaves, obovate to elliptic laminas and a retuse to emarginate apex, and erect inflorescences to 6 cm long. ETYMOLOGY. Named for the grey leaves in the field. Timothy M. A. Utteridge, Liam A. Trethowan, Matilda J. M. Brown, Seth Ratcliffe, Jack Plummer, Fabian Brambach and Himmah Rustiami. 2024. A New Species of Lasjia (Proteaceae) from Sulawesi: Lasjia griseifolia Utteridge & Brambach. Kew Bulletin. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-024-10162-y | ||||
| 2:46a | [Botany • 2015] Gastrodia huapingensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae) • A Remarkable New Mycoheterotrophic Orchid with dimorphic columns from China
The orchid genus Gastrodia Brown (1810: 330) comprises approximately 50 species with a broad Old World distribution (Pridgeon et al. 2005, Cribb et al. 2010, Kenji 2014). Currently, there are at least 20 accepted species of Gastrodia recorded from China (Chung & Hsu 2006, Chen et al. 2009, Hsu & Kuo 2010, 2011, Yeh et al. 2011, Hsu et al. 2012, Tan et al. 2012, Hu et al. 2014). During our field surveys of Chinese traditional medicine in Huaping National Nature Reserve, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China, a Gastrodia was spotted setting fruit in the past few years. Finally, we were able to observe it flowering in August 2014. After careful comparison morphological study with its close relatives (Averyanov & Efimov 2006) and three other species of Gastrodia recorded in Guangxi, namely Gastrodia damingshanensis A.Q.Hu & T.C.Hsu (2014: 256), Gastrodia elata Blume (1856: 174) and Gastrodia menghaiensis Z.H.Tsi & S.C.Chen (1994: 559), we confirmed this Gastrodia as a new species and thereby a new member to the flora of Guangxi. A detailed description, illustration and ecological information are presented below. We also discuss the remarkable dimorphic columns of this new species, which are documented in Gastrodia for the first time. Keywords: China, delayed self-pollination, dimorphic columns, Gastrodia, incurred column, new species, Orchidaceae, Monocots   Xin-Yi Huang, Ai-Qun Hu, Tian-Chuan Hsu and Yan Liu. 2015. Gastrodia huapingensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae): A Remarkable New Mycoheterotrophic Orchid with dimorphic columns from China. Phytotaxa. 222(4); 290-294. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.222.4.7 | ||||
| 8:51a | [Botany • 2021] Gastrodia qingyunshanensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae) • A New holomycotrophic Orchid from Guangdong, China
Abstract A new species of Gastrodia (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae, Gastrodieae), G. qingyunshanensis, is described and illustrated from Guangdong, China. It is closely related to G. appendiculata C. S. Leou & N. J. Chung but can be distinguished by an urceolate (vs bell-like) and dark brown (vs pale greenish brown) perianth tube, the smaller petals (2.5 × 1.6 mm vs 4–5 × 5–6 mm), the shape of lip (oblong, 3×1.6mm vs ovate, 6–7×5mm), lack of elevated calli at the base of petal (vs having calli), and an appendage shorter than column (vs equal to column). The new species is only reported to occur on Qingyunshan Nature Reserve, Wengyuan County, China, and it is proposed to be Vulnerable (VU) according to the IUCN criteria. Keywords: Gastrodia, holomycotrophic orchid, Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae, Monocots
Gastrodia qingyunshanensis J.X.Huang, H.Xu et H.J.Yang Shi Shi, Haijun Yang, Xuefen Wei, Qianyu Liang, Xindong Yang, Xianxing Zeng, Chonglin Xie, Liubao Chen, Qinghua Huang, Guohong Zeng, Zhurong Jiang, Han Xu and Jiuxiang Huang. 2021. Gastrodia qingyunshanensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae)—A New holomycotrophic Orchid from Guangdong, China. Phytotaxa. 483(2); 177–182. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.483.2.10 | ||||
| 4:13p | [Paleontology • 2024] Peltocephalus maturin • The Latest Freshwater Giants: A New Peltocephalus (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae) Turtle from the Late Pleistocene of the Brazilian Amazon
Abstract Overkill of large mammals is recognized as a key driver of Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions in the Americas and Australia. While this phenomenon primarily affected mega-mammals, its impact on large Quaternary reptiles has been debated. Freshwater turtles, due to the scarcity of giant forms in the Quaternary record, have been largely neglected in such discussions. Here we present a new giant podocnemidid turtle, Peltocephalus maturin sp. nov., from the Late Pleistocene Rio Madeira Formation in the Brazilian Amazon, that challenges this assumption. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses of the holotype, a massive partial lower jaw, reveal close affinities to extant Amazonian species and suggest an omnivorous diet. Body size regressions indicate Pe. maturin possibly reached about 180 cm in carapace length and is among the largest freshwater turtles ever found. This finding presents the latest known occurrence of giant freshwater turtles, hinting at coexistence with early human inhabitants in the Amazon. 
Systematic palaeontology Testudines Batsch, 1788 Pleurodira Cope, 1864 Podocnemididae Cope, 1868 Peltocephalus Dumeril and Bribon, 1835 Peltocephalus maturin sp. nov. Diagnosis: Peltocephalus maturin is assigned to Pelomedusoides based on its fused dentaries and to Peltocephalus by the symphyseal hook higher than the coronoid process, the lingual platform and a small fossa with two pits on the posterior surface of the symphysis. It differs from Podocnemis spp. in its straight, instead of curved, labial and lingual ridges, U-shaped midline outline of the lingual ridges, well-developed symphyseal hook, transverse posterior (lingual) platform ventral to the triturating surface and the symphyseal fossa; from Erymnochelys madagascariensis by two pits in the symphyseal fossa, instead of one; from both Podocnemis spp. and E. madagascariensis in its dorsoventrally—instead of posteroventrally—sloping posterior limit of the rhamphotheca. Peltocephalus maturin can be distinguished from Pe. dumerilianus based on its much greater size, labial ridge higher than the lingual, symphyseal ridge separating left and right triturating surfaces (all these shared with Stupendemys geographica), and secondary ridge orthogonal to the long axis of the triturating surface, separating anterior and posterior triturating areas (autapomorphy). Peltocephalus maturin can be differentiated from S. geographica by narrow instead of expanded triturating surfaces, upcurved pointed symphyseal hook and sharp but not protruding and anteriorly V-shaped lingual ridges, instead of protruding and U-shaped. Etymology: Maturin refers to the giant turtle that vomited out the universe in Stephen King's stories, which in turn was inspired by the character Stephen Maturin who, in the book H.M.S. Surprise of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, names a giant tortoise.  G. S. Ferreira, E. R. Nascimento, E. A. Cadena, M. A. Cozzuol, B. M. Farina, M. L. A. F. Pacheco, M. A. Rizzutto and M. C. Langer. 2024. The Latest Freshwater Giants: A New Peltocephalus (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae) Turtle from the Late Pleistocene of the Brazilian Amazon. Biol. Lett. 2020240010. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0010 |
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