Neottia nyinyikyawii X.H. Jin, T.M. Aye & H.A. Mung, 2020

Mu, Aye-Thin, Aung, Mung-Htoi & Jin, Xiao-Hua, 2020, Neottia nyinyikyawii (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae), a new species from Chin State, Myanmar, Phytotaxa 446 (3), pp. 205-208 : 205-206

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.446.3.5
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B78789-2D24-FF8A-648C-F8D3FA43F823
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Neottia nyinyikyawii X.H. Jin, T.M. Aye & H.A. Mung
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Neottia nyinyikyawii X.H. Jin, T.M. Aye & H.A. Mung View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 )

Neottia nyinyikyawii is morphologically similar to Neottia chandrae and N. tenuis , but differs from them by having leaves borne in the middle of the plant, elliptic lip 7.0–8.0 × 1.5–2.0 mm and falcate lobelets.

Type:— MYANMAR. Chin State: Mindat Township, Nat Ma Taung ( Mt. Victoria ), moist upper mixed deciduous broadleaf and pine forests, 2800–3070 m, 3 July 2018, Xiaohua Jin et al., PT-19864 (Holotype, RAF!; isotypes, XTBG!, PE!) .

Terrestrial, autotropic plants, 14–23 cm tall. Rhizome with many elongate, filiform roots. Stem 9–16 cm, erect, slender, ridged, usually with 1 or 2 membranous long tubular sheaths at base. Leaves 2, opposite, borne in the middle of the plant, 3–4 veined from base, subsessile, cordate to broadly ovate or broadly ovate–triangular, ca. 3.0–4.0 × 2.7–3.8 cm in diameter. Peduncle 1.0– 1.5 cm, puberulous, rachis 5–7 cm, laxly 8–20–flowered; floral bracts ovate–attenuate, concave, nearly as long as pedicel, 3–4 mm long, apex acute to acuminate. Flowers resupinate, uniformly green; pedicel and ovary 5–7 mm long, almost glabrous; sepals and petals spreading widely. Dorsal sepal ovate–lanceolate, 2.0–3.0 × 2.5 mm, 1–veined, apex subacute; lateral sepals lanceolate, slightly oblique, ca. 3.0 × 2.5–3.0 mm, apex acute to acuminate. Petals linear– lanceolate, ca. 3.0 × 1.0– 1.5 mm, 1–veined, apex subacute; lip elliptic, bilobed at apex to the middle of lip, 7.0–8.0 ×1.5–2.0 mm, margins entire, lobelets divergent, falcate, 3.0–4.0 × 0.5–1 mm, acuminate; disk with a distinct thickened central ridge extending from base of lip to the sinus with small tooth between lobes. Column arcuate above middle, 2–3 mm long, anther inclined toward rostellum, ca. 1 mm; rostellum spreading forward.

Distribution and habitat:— Neottia nyinyikyawii is a relatively small terrestrial orchid under the montane bamboo forest up to 3000 m in elevation. N. nyinyikyawii is only known from the type locality. N. nyinyikyawii was discovered in Nat Ma Taung (Mt. Victoria), is the highest mountain in the Chin State of Western Myanmar. Until now, only one population, consisting of approximately 300 individuals, has been discovered in Nat Ma Taung National Park (713 km 2), which is a legally protected area under the management of the Myanmar Forest Department. The population is far from any threats and still also have a considerable number of mature individuals, this new species is here preliminarily considered as a status of Least Concern (LC) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee, 2019).

Relationships:— Neottia nyinyikyawii differs from N. chandrae by having leaves borne in the middle of the plant (vs. leaves borne in the upper part of plant), elliptic lip with entire margins (hastate lip with ciliate margins), lip 7–8 × 1.5–2.0 mm (vs. 10 × 5 mm); from N. tenuis by having leaves borne in the middle of the plant (vs. leaves borne near apex of plant), elliptic lip 7–8 mm long (vs. wedge-shaped to obcordate lip 4–5 mm long), curved column 2–3 mm long (vs. straight column not more than 2 mm long).

Phenology:— Flowering from July to August.

Etymology:— The new species is named after Dr. Nyi Nyi Kyaw, Director General of Forest Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, in honour of his leadership in biodiversity conservation of Myanmar.