[Botany • 2023] Alpinia nelumboides (Zingiberaceae) • A New Species of Alpinia (Subgenus Alpinia, Subsect. Catimbium) from Laos and Vietnam

  

Alpinia nelumboides Nob.Tanaka, T.T.K.Van & V.Hoang, 

  

in Tanaka, Hoang, Kieu, Khanh, Tagane, Funakoshi et Souladeth, 2023. 

ຂ່າດອກບົວ • Riềng sen  ||  DOI:  10.50826/bnmnsbot.49.1_25

 Abstract

A new species of the genus Alpinia subgenus Alpinia subsection Catimbium (Zingiberaceae), A. nelumboides is described from Laos and Vietnam. It is morphologically most similar to A. kwangsiensis, but distinguished by its large pinkish bracteoles, shorter petioles, entire margin of labellum, and larger pubescent ovoid fruits.

Keywords: Bolaven Plateau, Di Linh District, new taxon, taxonomy, Zingiberales

Floral parts of Alpinia nelumboides (holotype in Laos).
A: Front view of flower. B: Side view of flower with a bracteole. C: Dorsal corolla lobe (left), and lateral corolla lobes (right two). D: Back view of anther. E: Side view of anther with style. F: Calyx (opened out and flattened). G: Lateral staminodes. H: Adaxial side of labellum. I: Abaxial side of labellum. J: Stamen and ovary with corolla tube after corolla lobes, labellum and calyx removed (above), and ovary with epigynous glands (below).

Alpinia nelumboides Nob.Tanaka, T.T.K.Van & V.Hoang (holotype in Laos).
A: Habit. B: Infructescence. C: Young fruits and a cross section (inset). D: Ligule.

 Scale bars: 10 cm for B, 5 cm for C, and 1 cm for D.

 Alpinia nelumboides of Vietnam.
 A: Habit. B: The early stage of blooming, large showy bracteoles forming a shape reminiscent of a lotus flower. C: Sheathing bract covering an early stage of inflorescence. D: Lamina (abaxial surface). E: Rhizome. F: Ligule. G: Apex of lamina.

Alpinia nelumboides Nob.Tanaka, T.T.K.Van & V.Hoang, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Alpinia nelumboides is morphologically similar to Alpinia kwangsiensis T.L.Wu & S.J.Chen in shape of inflorescence and flower coloration, but differs in having shorter petioles (1–2 cm long vs. 4–8 cm long), longer ligules (1–2.3 cm long vs. 8 mm long), longer pedicels (4–7 mm long vs. 2 mm long), almost glabrous, lustrous and pinkish white bracteoles (vs. hirsute and orange pink), deciduous calyx (vs. persistent), broadly ovate labellum with entire margin (vs. ovate and crenate margin), longer anther (1.5 cm long vs. 1 cm long), and ovoid fruits (vs. globose).

Distribution: Laos and Vietnam. Thus far Alpinia nelumboides is known only from Bolaven Plateau in Paksong District, Champasak Province, southern Laos and Lam Dong Province, Di Linh District, southern Vietnam. This species may be distributed in the southeastern part of the Indochinese Peninsula.

Etymology: the specific epithet is derived from the top view of the arrangement of large pinkish bracteoles of young flowers in inflorescence, the appearance of which bears a resemblance to a blooming Nelumbo lotus flower. 

Vernacular names: Lao name: ຂ່າດອກບົວ [Kha Dok Bua]＝ ʻຂ່າʼ (Kha) refers to the common name of the genus Alpinia in Laos; ʻດອກບົວʼ (Dok Bua) refers to the Lotus flower which is derived from the specific epithet of the new species. 

Vietnamese name: Riềng sen ＝ ʻRiềngʼ is the common name of the genus Alpinia in Vietnam, “sen” means the lotus. Both of them are proposed here.

Nobuyuki Tanaka, Viet Hoang, Van Tran Thi Kieu, Trinh Tram Nguyen Khanh, Shuichiro Tagane, Hidenobu Funakoshi and Phetlasy Souladeth. 2023. A New Species of Alpinia (Zingiberaceae: subgenus Alpinia subsect. Catimbium) from Laos and Vietnam. Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science. Series B, Botany. 49(1); 25-32. DOI:  10.50826/bnmnsbot.49.1_25

 

[Botany • 2023] Impatiens yinyinkyii & I. horizontalis (Balsaminaceae) • Two New Species from Sagaing, northwestern Myanmar

 Impatiens horizontalis  M.M.Latt, B.B.Park & Nob.Tanaka, 

in Latt, Tanaka & Park, 2023. 

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.583.2.2

 

Abstract

Impatiens yinyinkyii M.M.Latt, B.B.Park & Nob.Tanaka and I. horizontalis M.M.Latt, B.B.Park & Nob.Tanaka (Balsaminaceae) are described and illustrated. Those new species were discovered in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, northwestern Myanmar. Description, photographic data as well as the comparative characters with their similar species are provided. Impatiens yinyinkyii is similar to I. masonii Hook.f., but differs in having three dark purple blotches in center of flower, specifically at base of dorsal and upper petals of united petals. Impatiens horizontalis resembles I. stenantha Hook.f., I. prostrata Hook. f., I. repens Moon, I. procumbens Franch and I. reptans Hook. f. in having larger, glabrous and elliptic to lanceolate leaves, serrate margin with antrorse bristles, deeply bucciniform lower sepal, twisted spur with abruptly capitate tip, linear ovary, spheroid seed and finally uncommon conspicuous stout stem which is horizontally creeping.

Keywords: Burma, Impatiens yinyinkyii, Impatiens horizontalis, new taxon, Sagaing

Impatiens yinyinkyii;
A. growing on ever-moist rock wall of stream, B. roots with small tubers, C. front view, D. dorsal view, E. side view of flower and F. inflorescences and leaves arrangement.

Impatiens yinyinkyii M.M. Latt, B.B. Park & Nob. Tanaka, sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: Impatiens yinyinkyii is morphologically similar to I. masonii Hook.f. but can be distinguished by having asymmetric flowers with three dark purple blotches in center of flower, specifically at base of dorsal and upper petals of lateral united petals, round apex dorsal petals, monochasial simple cymose inflorescence, lanceolate bract, pink anther, longer incurved spur and ovate and compressed seed (Table 1). 

Habitat and ecology: Impatiens yinyinkyii grows on the ever-moist rock and rocky wall of the perennial stream under the sunlight. It is light demander but very sensitive to high temperature and drought. This species is very common and many populations can be found on the rock along streams throughout the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary. Phenology: Flowering in November to January before summer season. 

Distribution: Myanmar. Thus far known only from the type locality. 

Vernacular name: “Yin Yin Kyi Dan-pan” (proposed here). “Dan-pan” is a local name of Imapatiens in Myanmar. 

Etymology: The specific epithet is an honor to Yin Yin Kyi (1947–2021), a Myanmar taxonomist at Forest Research Institute, for her contribution to the Myanamar local flora. She published “A checklist of the trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers of Myanmar” by revising the original works by J. H. Lace “List of trees, shrubs, herbs and principal climbers, etc. recorded from Burma” in cooperating with the Smithsonian Institution.

 Note: Impatiens yinyinkyii is assignable to subgenus Impatiens, sect. Uniflorae Hook.f. & Thomson based on its fascicled inflorescence, and short fusiform capsules.

 Impatiens horizontalis;
 A. horizontally growing on gravel stony island in a stream, B. Leave margin, C. creeping on gravel stony habit, D. inflorescences E. gold mining and F. leave arrangement, stem and peduncle of inflorescences.

Impatiens horizontalis M.M. Latt, B.B. Park & Nob. Tanaka, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Impatiens horizontalis is morphologically similar to Impatiens stenantha Hook.f. but can be distinguished by being horizontally creeping stem on the surface of gravel soil along the stream, elliptic to linear leaf, coriaceous, serrate margin with bristles, axillary inflorescence and pure golden yellow flower without marks; in spite of similar creeping habit, it is distinguished from I. prostrata Hook. f. by having narrowly elliptic to linear leaf, serrate, antrorse bristle between teeth, glandular stipulate, twisted spur with abruptly capitate tip, linear and glabrous ovary and spheroid, ex-arillate, glabrous seed; from I. repens Moon by having not succulent and stout stem and racemose inflorescence; from I. procumbens Franch and I. reptans Hook. f. having not erect stem and branches, narrowly elliptic to linear, glabrous leaf, glandular stipulate, oblong sepals, deeply bucciniform lower sepal, twisted spur with abruptly capitate tip, lanceolate, twisted, obtuse lower later petal, triangular upper lateral petal, linear ovary, oblanceolate—linear fruit.

Habitat and ecology: Impatiens horizontalis horizontally grow and a creeper on gravel stony island frequently flooded along the perennial stream in evergreen forest and is light demander. It hardly survives on other types of soil. 

Distribution: Myanmar. Thus far, limited populations were found on less than 5 gravel islands only along the Nam Phet La stream in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Vernacular name: “Nam-phet-la Dan-pan”, meaning Dan-pan of Nam-pha-lar stream. 

Note: Impatiens horizontalis is assignable to subgenus Impatiens sect. Racemosae Hook.f. based on its racemose inflorescence, linear capsule and 4 lateral sepals with 2 reduced inner ones. We proposed the local name of the species as “Nam-phet-la Dan-pan” because it was firstly found only along Nam Phet La stream in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Myo Min Latt, Nobuyuki Tanaka and Byung Bae Park. 2023. Two New Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Myanmar.  Phytotaxa. 583(2); 141–152. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.583.2.2