Wurfbainia longiflora Kaewsri, 2022

Kaewsri, W. & Sangvirotjanapat, S., 2022, SIX NEW SPECIES OF WURFBAINIA (ZINGIBERACEAE) FROM THAILAND, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 79 (369), pp. 1-23 : 13-16

4. Wurfbainia longiflora Kaewsri , sp. nov.

Similar to Wurfbainia uliginosa (J.Koenig) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its shorter leafy shoot (0.6–1.7 m vs 2.4–4.1 m), inflorescence size (3 × 1.2 cm vs 3–5 × 2–3 cm), longer floral tube (3.7–4.2 cm long including ovary vs c. 2.5 cm long including ovary) and young fruit white (vs green) ( Table 3 ).

– Type: Thailand, Chumphon, Tha Sae, Northern Sadejnaikrom Kromlaung Chumphon wildlife sanctuary , 10°39′35.1′′N, 98°54′19.5′′E, 215 m altitude, 7 iv 2004, Kaewsri 068 (holotype BKF!, isotype BK!) . Figures 8 , 9 .

Terrestrial creeping herb. Leafy shoot slender, 0.6–1.7 m tall, 17–31 leaves, sheaths dark green, smooth, glabrous; ligule apex bilobed, 1–3 mm long, papery, glabrous; petiole 2–5 mm long, glabrous; blades oblong-lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 9.6–28 × 2.3–4 cm, base attenuate to obtuse, apex acuminate, tip caudate, 3–4.1 cm long. Inflorescence arising from rhizome, obovate to conical, 3 × 1.2 cm; peduncle 2–3 cm long; flowering head 4- to 6-flowered, compact; peduncular bracts broadly ovate, c.7 × 1–2 mm, apex acuminate, pale brown, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; fertile bracts persistent, ovate to deltoid, 1.8–2 × 1.5–2 cm, apex mucronate, pale brown with scattered dark brown spots, glabrous, papery; bracteoles tubular, c. 1.5 cm long including ovary, apex bilobed, pale brown, outer surface glabrous with pubescent base. Flower white; ovary subellipsoid, c.2 × 2 mm, surface with pale brown pubescence; style c. 4.8 cm long; ovary cylindrical, c.3 × 3 mm, hairy; stigma small bulbous, margin of ostiole hairy; epigynous glands c. 5 mm long; calyx tubular, 2.5–4 cm long including ovary, apex bilobed and shallowly split on one side, outer surface pale brown, base pubescent; floral tube 3.7–4.2 cm long including ovary, creamy white, glabrous; dorsal corolla lobe hooded, oblong, c.1.6 × 0.8 cm, apex blunt, membranous; lateral corolla lobes hooded, oblong, c.1.5 × 0.6 cm, apex blunt, membranous; lateral staminodes narrowly subulate, c. 5 mm; labellum obovate, hooded, c.1.8 × 1.6 cm, base contracted and clawed, apex shallowly bilobed, white with yellow band along centre and crimson veins on each side of band; stamen: filament c.6 × 1.5 mm, ribbon-like; anthers c.4 × 3 mm, dehiscing lengthwise; anther crest trilobed, rounded, c.5 × 2 mm, whitish, central lobe 3–3.5 mm wide, emarginate, reflexed, lateral lobe c.1 × 1 mm, spreading. Fruit subglobose, 1–1.5 × 1.6–1.7 cm, 2 (or 3) per infructescence, densely covered with rigid spines, white when young, turning red when ripe, with persistent calyx and stigma c. 2 cm long at apex.

Phenology. Flowering and fruiting between April and July.

Distribution. Endemic to Thailand, known only from the type locality, Sadejnaikrom Kromluang Chumphon wildlife sanctuary (see Figure 3 ).

Habitat. Tropical rain and evergreen forest under shrubs and trees at 215 m altitude.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the distinct long floral tube.

Proposed IUCN conservation category. Least Concern (LC). This species is common in the Sadejnaikrom Kromluang Chumphon wildlife sanctuary, which covers parts of Chumphon and Ranong Provinces. It grows in a well-protected area with no threats. Moreover, mature individuals are able to produce descendents and expand the population size by vegetative propagation. Wurfbainia longiflora is therefore assessed as Least Concern.

Additional specimen examined. THAILAND. Chumphon: Tha Sae, Sadejnaikrom Kromluang Chumphon wildlife sanctuary, 5 vi 2010, Kaewsri 242 (BK!, BKF!) . Ranong: Kra buri, Sadejnaikrom Kromluang Chumphon wildlife sanctuary, 9 iv 2004, Kaewsri 079 (BK!, BKF!) .

Figures

Figure 3. Species distribution map. The unbroken-line box indicates the localities of Wurfbainia ellipticarpa, W. globosa and W. longiflora. The dashed-line box indicates the localities of Wurfbainia geostachyoides, W. parviflora and W. yingyongii.

Figure 8. Wurfbainia longiflora Kaewsri. A, Inflorescence and rhizome; B, leaves; C, flower; D, bract; E, bracteole; F, calyx; G, flower (dissected); H, stamen and staminodes; I, stigma; J, infructescence. Drawn from Kaewsri 068 by W. Kaewsri.

Figure 9. Wurfbainia longiflora Kaewsri, sp. nov. A, Habit; B, leaves; C, inflorescence; D, floral parts (D1, flower; D2, bracts; D3, bracteole; D4, calyx; D5, corolla; D6, pistil; D7, stamens); E, infructescence. All photographs of Kaewsri 242, taken by W. Kaewsri.