[Botany • 2023] Panax siamensis (Araliaceae) • A New Species of Ginseng from northern Thailand

 

 Panax siamensis J. Wen, 

in Wen, Krupnick et Esser, 2023. 

DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.234.106289

 

Abstract

We herein describe a new species, Panax siamensis J. Wen, from the tropical monsoon forests in northern Thailand. Panax siamensis is characterized by a combination of characters including horizontally elongated rhizomes with thick internodes, 3–5 whorled leaves each with 7–9 sessile and lanceolate leaflets, lanceolate bracteoles not persisting at the fruiting stage, 2-locular ovaries, and red fruits with a black top. The new species is most closely related to Panax zingiberensis C.Y. Wu & Feng from southeastern Yunnan province of China, sharing the character of sessile leaflets, but differing in that P. siamensis has well developed, elongated rhizomes (vs. compact, ginger-like rhizomes and rootstock in P. zingiberensis), and 7–9 leaflets (vs. (3–) 5–7 leaflets in P. zingiberensis). We also compare Panax siamensis to other related Asian Panax species, including P. assamicus Banerjee, P. bipinnatifidus Seem., P. pseudoginseng Wallich, and P. vietnamensis Ha & Grushv. The new taxon is preliminarily assessed as Vulnerable (VU D2), according to the IUCN Red List criteria. A taxonomic key is provided to facilitate the identification of P. siamensis and its close allies.

Key words: Araliaceae, conservation, ginseng genus, Panax, Panax siamensis J. Wen

Illustration of  Panax siamensis J. Wen based on J. Wen 7371 (US)
A habit B horizontal rhizome with base of stem C leaflet margin D leaflet abaxial surface E infructescence F enlarged infructescence G bracteoles subtending pedicels at flowering stage H older flowers after petals falling off, showing 2-locular ovary I young fruiting stage J seed K seed surface.

Field images of Panax siamensis and its habitat
A habitat in monsoon evergreen forest B infructescence showing red fruits with a black top C habit.

Photo credit: A (Ricky Ward), B, C (Jun Wen).

 Panax siamensis J. Wen, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Rhizomes horizontally elongated with thick internodes. Leaves 3—5 at the tip of stem, exstipulate, with 7–9 leaflets; leaflets sessile or nearly so, tapering toward the base, lanceolate, long acuminate at apex, long acute at base, serrulate to doubly so at margin, membranaceous, bristly along veins and veinlets on both surfaces. Ovary 2-locular. Fruits subglobose, bright red with a black top, persistent stigmas recurved, 1–2 seeded, 5–6 mm long, 7–8 mm wide, 3–3.5 mm thick. Seeds ovate, 5–5.5 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, 2.5–3.5 mm thick, surface rough.

Ecology: In shaded areas of monsoon evergreen hardwood forests, or in mixed evergreen hardwood and pine forests, granite bedrock.

Jun Wen, Gary Krupnick and Hans-Joachim Esser. 2023. Panax siamensis J. Wen, A New Species of the Ginseng Genus (Panax, Araliaceae) from northern Thailand. PhytoKeys. 234: 51-59. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.234.106289

[Botany • 2020] Sciodaphyllum zarucchii (Araliaceae) • A New Species from Antioquia, Colombia [Studies in Neotropical Araliaceae. V]

Sciodaphyllum zarucchii M. M. Mora, Lowry, Idárraga, Jiménez-Mont. & G. M. Plunkett 

 in Mora, Lowry, Plunkett, ... et Raven, 2020.

DOI: 10.3417/2020540 

 Abstract

Sciodaphyllum zarucchii M. M. Mora, Lowry, Idárraga, Jiménez-Mont. & G. M. Plunkett (Araliaceae) is described as a new species in honor of James L. Zarucchi (1952–2019). It occurs in humid premontane and montane forests on the western slope of the Cordillera Occidental in the department of Antioquia, Colombia, where it is known from only two localities, one of which is highly threatened by forest clearing. A risk of extinction assessment using the IUCN Red List criteria reveals that S. zarucchii is Endangered. 

 KEYWORDS: Andes, Araliaceae, conservation status, Neotropics, new species, Schefflera, Sciodaphyllum

Figure 2. Holotype of Sciodaphyllum zarucchii M. M. Mora, Lowry, Idárraga, Jiménez-Mont. & G. M. Plunkett (Zarucchi, Brandt & Castaño 5634, MO). 

Figure 1. Photos of Sciodaphyllum zarucchii M. M. Mora, Lowry, Idárraga, Jiménez-Mont. & G. M. Plunkett.
-A. Branch with young infructescence. -B. Leaf (note absence of stipular ligule at the base of each of the three petioles, indicated by arrows). -C. Inflorescence branch with flower buds (note yellowing stipular ligule about to abscise from petiole base of the uppermost leaf, indicated by an arrow). -D. Heads with immature fruits.

From Jiménez et al. 2295 (HUA). Photographs by J. Jiménez-Montoya.

 Sciodaphyllum zarucchii M. M. Mora, Lowry, Idárraga, Jiménez-Mont. & G. M. Plunkett

Etymology. This tree is named in honor of James L. Zarucchi (1952–2019), who joined the staff of the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1983. Both in the course of his doctoral studies at Harvard University (Ph.D.,1982) and for his first 13 years at the Garden, Jim concentrated on Latin American plants. He notably collected and encouraged studies of the flora of the Andes, especially in the departments of Antioquia and Vaupes, Colombia, coincidentally describing the genus Quiotania Zarucchi (Apocynaceae), its name an anagram for that of the Colombian Department of Antioquia. In 1996, Jim was named Managing Editor of the Flora of North America project, making an extensive contribution of great importance in that role for the remaining 23 years of his life (Ulloa et al., 2019). 

M. Marcela Mora, Porter P. Lowry II, Gregory M. Plunkett, Álvaro Idárraga-Piedrahíta, Jáider Jiménez-Montoya and Peter H. Raven. 2020. Studies in Neotropical Araliaceae. V. Sciodaphyllum zarucchii (Araliaceae), A New Species from Antioquia, Colombia, Honoring James L. Zarucchi (1952–2019). Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature. 28(2); 94-99. DOI: 10.3417/2020540

Researchgate.net/publication/341335409_Sciodaphyllum_zarucchii_a_New_Species_from_Antioquia_Colombia