Nordic Journal of Botany 28: 299Á303, 2010 doi: 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2009.00704.x, # The Authors Journal compilation # Nordic Journal of Botany 2010 Subject Editor: Henrik Ỉrenlund Pedersen Accepted 14 January 2010 Orchidantha stercorea sp nov (Lowiaceae) from Vietnam Hu˜’u Ða˘ng Tra`ˆ n and Jana Leong-Sˇkornicˇkova´ H Ð Tra`ˆ n (tranhuudang@gmail.com), Univ of Science, Vietnam National Univ., 227 Nguyen Van Cu, Q5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Á J Leong-Sˇkornicˇkova´, the Herbarium, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Cluny Road, 259569 Singapore Orchidantha stercorea H Ð Traˆ`n & Sˇkornicˇk (Lowiaceae), a new species from the Kha´nh Ho`a province, Vietnam is described and illustrated It is related to two other species known from Indochina, O laotica K Larsen and O vietnamica K Larsen A tabulated comparison as well as a key to the species are provided An improved description and colour plates of O vietnamica, which was earlier described from poor herbarium material only, is also included The family Lowiaceae with a single genus Orchidantha is native to southeast Asia with the highest diversity of species in Borneo So far, 18 species has been described from south China (Wu 1964, 1997, Fang and Qin 1996), Laos (Larsen 1961), Vietnam (Larsen 1973), Thailand (Larsen 1961, Jenjittikul and Larsen 2002), Malaysia (Scortechini 1886, Ridley 1893, 1924, Schumann 1900, Henderson 1933, Holttum 1970), Singapore (Holttum 1970), and Borneo (Larsen 1993, Nagamasu and Sakai 1999, Pedersen 2001) Lowiaceae comprises herbs growing in lowland evergreen forests and sometimes also in clearings (Larsen 1998) The species tend to have rather small areas of distribution (Pedersen 2001) During exploration of central Vietnam in August 2008 and September 2009, the first author found an Orchidantha species growing in a moist and shady area in a bamboo forest, near a waterfall All protologues and type specimens and other herbarium material of closely related species have been examined at (K), (P), (SING), (VNM), but the new material did not match any Orchidantha so far described Only two other species have been described from Indochina, i.e O laotica K Larsen and O vietnamica K Larsen, both based on herbarium material only The description of Orchidantha laotica (Larsen 1961) was based on Kerr’s collection from near Vientiane (A F G Kerr 21284, K!) Orchidantha vietnamica was described a decade later (Larsen 1973) from rather poor herbarium material consisting of a single sheet, which included only two leaves and a single flower (M Schmid s.n Nov 1960, holotype: P!) In 2008 during our fieldwork for ‘Flora of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam’, we re-collected Orchidantha vietnamica from the type locality in Da Hoai (Tran et al 51; E, P, RUPP, SING, VNM, Natl Univ of Laos) To aid in identification of Orchidantha species in Vietnam, we also include here a detailed description and colour plates of O vietnamica Orchidantha stercorea H Ð Tra`ˆ n & Sˇkornicˇk sp nov (Fig 1) Orchidanthae laoticae similis, sed elatior (ad 120 cm vs 80 cm); petioli ad 70 cm longi (vs ad 45 cm); bractea ovarii extensione aequilonga vel brevior (vs longior); petalum laterale asymmetricum, margine in parte exteriore in dimidio superiori dentato (vs symmetricum, margine apicem versus dentato); labellum 3.3Á3.9 cm longum, atroviolaceum ad medio nigro accedens, basi macula luteocremea (vs 2.0Á2.5 cm longum, brunneum vitis flavidis) Type: Vietnam, Kha´nh Ho`a Province, Yang Bay waterfall, 80Á100 m a.s.l., 12811?12.8ƒN, 108854?54.4ƒE, 20 Sep 2009, Tran 192 (holotype: VNM, isotype: SING) English translation of Latin diagnosis Similar to O laotica, but taller (up to 120 cm vs 80 cm), petioles up to 70 cm (vs up to 45 cm), floral bract as long as or shorter than ovary extension (vs bract longer than ovary extension), lateral petal asymmetric, margin toothed at upper half on outer side (vs symmetric, margin toothed at the tip), labellum 3.3Á3.9 cm long, dark violet approaching black towards the middle, with a yellowÁcream patch at base (vs labellum 2.0Á2.5 cm long, brown with yellowish stripes) Rhizomatous herb Rhizome erect, ca 0.8 cm in diameter, light brown externally, cream white internally Stem short, embedded in the ground Leafy shoot 60Á120 cm tall Leaves 5Á8 per shoot; petiole 21Á70)0.4Á0.6 cm, green, glabrous; lamina ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, unequal, 28Á50 )8Á 12 cm, green on both sides, shiny, glabrous, coriaceous, attenuate at base, acute at apex, with mid-vein pale green, impressed above, prominent beneath Inflorescence central, branched, embedded in the ground Flowers with smell similar to dung Bracts ovate, 0.9Á2.4 )0.5Á1.2 cm, cream 299 Figure Orchidantha stercorea H Ð Tra`ˆn & Sˇkornicˇk sp nov (A) habit, (B) close-up of flower with a dung bee, (C) close-up of ovary, stigmas in different angles, anthers and lateral petals, (D) flower dissection 300 Table Comparison of characters of Orchidantha stercorea sp nov., O laotica and O vietnamica O laotica O vietnamica up to 120 up to ca 70 28Á50)8Á12, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, unequal Floral bract (cm) 3.0Á3.2)1.5Á2.1 Ovary extension (cm) 3.0Á3.2, cream Dorsal sepal (cm) 3.5Á3.9)1.2Á1.6, ovate lanceolate to lanceolate Lateral petals (mm) 15Á17)4.0Á4.5, asymmetric obovate, margin toothed in upper half on outer side, dark violet up to 80 up to 45 35Á50)10Á15, lanceolate, unequal Labellum (cm) 2.0Á2.5, brown with yellowish stripes, boat-shaped up to 80 10Á27 30Á44)6Á9, lanceolate, unequal 5.0Á6.5)1.0Á1.5 7Á8, cream 6.4Á7.6)1.3Á1.4, narrow lanceolate 15Á17)2.0Á4.5, asymmetric, margin toothed in upper half on outer side, whitish cream with violet tinged patches 6.5Á7.8)2.0Á2.2, violet approaching dark violet towards the middle, lanceolate Characters O stercorea Leafy shoot (cm) Petiole (cm) Lamina (cm) Stamen (mm) Style (mm) 3.3Á3.9)1.0Á1.4, dark violet approaching black towards the middle, with a yellowÁcream patch at base, boat-shaped 7Á8 4.5Á7.0 ca 4)1 ca 2.5, greenish white ca 3)0.5, linear lanceolate ca 10)4, symmetric, margin toothed at tip 5Á6 ca to brownish, glabrous Floral bract ovate, 3.0Á3.2 )1.5Á 2.1 cm, cream at base, tinged maroon towards apex, glabrous Ovary ovate to obovate, 7Á8)3Á4 mm, cream, glabrous, 3-locular, with axillary placentation Ovary extension 3.0Á 3.2 )0.20Á0.25 cm, cream, glabrous Dorsal sepal ovatelanceolate to lanceolate, apex mucronate, 3.5Á3.9 )1.2Á1.6 cm, cream with a red tinged patch in the middle abaxially, glabrous, arching, forming a claw-like structure Lateral sepals ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, apex mucronate, overlapping and forming a boat-shaped structure that supports the labellum, 3.4Á4.1)1.1Á1.5 cm, cream at base, greenish or maroon towards apex, glabrous Lateral petals asymmetric obovate, margin toothed in upper half on the outer side, 15Á17 )4.0Á4.5 mm, dark violet, glabrous, covering stamen and style Labellum boat-shaped with main veins elevated above, 3.3Á3.9 )1.0Á1.4 cm, dark violet approaching black towards the middle, with a yellowÁcream patch at base, turning dark brown with age, glabrous Stamens five, 7Á8 mm long, filament 3.5Á4.0 mm, cream, glabrous, anther thecae 3.5Á4.0 mm, dehiscing longitudinally, glabrous, introse Style 4.5Á7.0 mm long, cream, glabrous, stigma 3-lobed, median lobe 6Á7 )0.8Á1.0 mm, lateral lobes 5.0Á6.7 )1.8Á2.5 mm, overlapping each other, cream, all finely fimbriate at margin Secretion tissue cordate, 3.0Á3.5)2.0Á2.6 mm, brownish, decurrent along the style Fruit not seen The measurements and descriptions provided are based on living and spirit material Tran 192 (holotype: VNM, isotype: SING) and Tran 120 (SING) Habitat, ecology, phenology, etymology and conservation status Growing as an undergrowth in bamboo forests near the Yang Bay waterfall, 80Á100 m a.s.l Prefers moist habitat Flowering occurs in AugÁSep, fruiting not seen The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word ‘stercoreus’ and relates to the rather unpleasant dung-like smell of the flowers, which attracts dung flies No vernacular names or uses are known Proposed IUCN conservation assessment: ‘Data Deficient’ (DD), based on the fact that Orchidantha 8Á10 7Á9 stercorea is only known from the type locality (IUCN 2001) Similar species Orchidantha stercorea is similar to O vietnamica and O laotica Its differences from O laotica were elaborated above in the diagnosis Orchidantha vietnamica is smaller than O stercorea, reaching only 80 cm (vs 120 cm) and has shorter petioles (10Á27 cm vs up to 70 cm) However, the flowers of O vietnamica are twice as big and the flower parts are more slender The colouration of the flowers is similar in the two species, but the lateral petals of O vietnamica are whitish cream with slight violet tinge, while those of O stercorea are dark violet For more details see Table 1, Fig 1, Orchidantha vietnamica K Larsen (1973, pp 345 350, Pham 2003, p 432, our Fig 2) ˙ Rhizomatous herb with short stem embedded in the ground Leafy shoot up to 80 cm tall Leaves ca per shoot; petiole 10Á27)0.6Á0.8 cm, green, glabrous; lamina lanceolate, unequal, 30Á44 )6Á9 cm, green on both sides, shiny, glabrous, coriaceous, attenuate at base, acute at apex; mid-vein pale green, impressed above, prominent beneath Inflorescence central, embedded in the ground Flower with rotten beef smell Bracts obovate, 1.2Á4.0)0.7Á1.8 cm, cream Floral bract lanceolate, 5.0Á6.5)1.0Á1.5 cm, red tinged, glabrous Ovary ovate to obovate, ca 7Á8 )2.5Á3.0 mm, cream, glabrous, 3-locular, with axillary placentation Ovary extension ca 7Á8)0.25Á0.30 cm, cream, glabrous Dorsal sepal narrow lanceolate, 6.4Á7.6)1.3Á1.4 cm, cream, dark cream at apex, glabrous Lateral sepals lanceolate, overlapping and forming a boat-shaped structure that supports the labellum, 7.5Á8.0 )1.2Á1.4 cm, cream, dark cream at apex, glabrous Lateral petals asymmetric obovate, margin toothed in upper half on outer side, 15Á 17 )2.0Á4.5 mm, whitish cream with patches tinged with violet, glabrous, covering stamen and style Labellum lanceolate with main veins elevated above, 6.5Á7.8) 2.0Á2.2 cm, violet approaching dark violet towards the Á 301 Figure Orchidantha vietnamica K Larsen (A) habit, (B) close-up of flower, (C) close-up of stigmas in different angles, anthers, lateral petals and seeds, (D) close-up of lateral petals with stigma, (E) flower dissection and fruit 302 middle, turning brown with age, glabrous Stamens five, 8Á10 mm long; filament 2.5Á3.0 mm, cream, glabrous; anther thecae 5.0Á5.5 mm, dehiscing longitudinally, glabrous, introse Style ca 7Á9 mm long, white, glabrous; stigma 3-lobed, median lobe 6.5Á7.0 )0.6Á0.7 mm, lateral lobes 5.5Á6.0 )1.2Á1.3 mm, cream, all fimbriate at margin Secretion tissue cordate, ca 3.5 )2.1 mm, whitish cream, decurrent along the style Fruit ovate, ca 2.8 )1.5 cm, tinged with red, glabrous, dehiscing longitudinally Seed globose, 3Á4 mm in diameter, brown, shortly hairy; aril filiform, white Both flowering and fruiting occurs in JunÁJul The measurements and descriptions provided are based on living and spirit material Tran et al 51 (E, P, RUPP, SING, VNM, Natl Univ of Laos) Key to Orchidantha species in Vietnam and Laos Labellum 6.5 cm long; ovary extension 7 cm long .O vietnamica Á Labellum B4 cm long; ovary extension B3.2 cm long Plant up to 80 cm; petiole up to 45 cm long; floral bract longer than ovary extension; lateral petal symmetric, margin toothed in upper half on both sides; labellum 2.0Á2.5 cm long, brown with yellowish stripes O laotica Á Plant up to 120 cm; petiole up to 70 cm long; floral bract as long or shorter than ovary extension; lateral petal asymmetric, margin toothed in upper half on outer side; labellum 3.3Á3.9 cm long, dark violet with a yellow-cream patch at base O stercorea Acknowledgements Á The first author thanks Singapore Botanic Gardens for financial support to visit the herbarium for the current study; Prof Le Cong Kiet and Dr Tran Triet for their encouragement; Prof Nguyen Thien Tich for guiding, survey in central Vietnam and his support We thank curators of the K, P, SING and VNM herbaria for letting us examine specimens in their care, SEP project 350 for funding Zingiberaceae expedition 2008 in Vietnam We are grateful to Dr J F Veldkamp (L) for translating the diagnosis into Latin The Asian Zingiberaceae Information Centre at the Singapore Botanic Gardens is acknowledged for providing protologues and related references References Fang, D and Qin, D H 1996 Five new species of monocotyledoneae from Guang Xi Á Guihaia 16: 3Á8 Henderson, M R 1933 Additions to the flora of the Malay Peninsula Á Gard Bull Straits Settlem 7: 125 Holttum, R E 1970 The genus Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) Á Gard Bull Sing 25: 239Á246 IUCN 2001 IUCN red list categories and criteria, ver 3.1 Á IUCN Species Survival Commission Jenjittikul, T and Larsen, K 2002 Orchidantha foetida (Lowiaceae) a new species from Thailand Á Nord J Bot 22: 405Á 408 Larsen, K 1961 New species of Veratrum and Orchidantha from Thailand and Laos Á Bot Tidsskr 56: 345Á350 Larsen, K 1973 A new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Vietnam Á Adansonia 2: 481Á482 Larsen, K 1993 A new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Borneo Á Nord J Bot 13: 285Á288 Larsen, K 1998 Lowiaceae Á In: Kubitzki, K (ed.), The families and genera of vascular plants Vol Springer, pp 275Á277 Nagamasu, H and Sakai, S 1999 Orchidantha inouei (Lowiaceae), a new species from Borneo Á Nord J Bot 19: 149Á 152 Pedersen, L B 2001 Four new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Sabah Á Nord J Bot 21: 121Á128 Pham, H H 2003 Caˆy co’ Vieˆtnam, Illustrated flora of Vietnam ˙ Vol Á Youth Publication, ˙ Vietnam Ridley, H N 1893 On the flora of the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula Á Trans Linn Soc Lond Ser 2: 383Á384 Ridley, H N 1924 Lowiaceae Flora of the Malay Peninsula Vol L Reeve and Co., p 292 Schumann, K M 1900 Lowioideae Á In: Engler, A (ed.), Pflanzenreich Vol 42 Engelmann, pp 40Á42 Scortechini, B 1886 Descrizione di nuove Scitaminee trovate nella Peninsola Malese Á Nuovo Giorn Bot Ital 33: 308Á 311 Wu, T L 1964 Lowiaceae, a family new to the flora of China Á Acta Phytotax Sin 9: 335Á344 Wu, T L 1997 Notes on the Lowiaceae, Musaceae, and Zingiberaceae for the flora of China Á Novon 7: 440Á442 303 ... Comparison of characters of Orchidantha stercorea sp nov. , O laotica and O vietnamica O laotica O vietnamica up to 120 up to ca 70 28Á50)8Á12, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, unequal Floral bract... Similar species Orchidantha stercorea is similar to O vietnamica and O laotica Its differences from O laotica were elaborated above in the diagnosis Orchidantha vietnamica is smaller than O stercorea, ... 56: 345Á350 Larsen, K 1973 A new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Vietnam Á Adansonia 2: 481Á482 Larsen, K 1993 A new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Borneo Á Nord J Bot 13: 285Á288