Sciaphila Lambirensis (Triuridaceae), a New Mycoheterotrophic Plant from Sarawak, Orneo, Malaysia
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ISSN 1346-7565 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 69 (3): 175–180 (2018) doi: 10.18942/apg.201805 Sciaphila lambirensis (Triuridaceae), a New Mycoheterotrophic Plant from Sarawak, orneo, Malaysia KenJi suetsugu epatment o ioloy Gaduate School o Science obe niesity - oodai ada-u obe yoo - apan. eni.suetsuumail.com Borneo is known to harbor the greatest species diversity of the mycoheterotrophic genus Sciaphila (Tri- uridaceae) and is home to 11 species, including fve endemics. Here, another undescribed Sciaphila spe- cies, S. lambiensis, which was discovered during a botanical survey in Lambir Hills National Park (Sar- awak, Borneo, Malaysia) is reported along with a detailed morphological account. Sciaphila lambiensis is similar to S. beistyla in having six equal perianth segments with a swollen apex bearing long hairs in both staminate and carpellate fowers. However, it is easily distinguishable by the secund arrangement of the fowers and the pedicel slightly recurved at its apex. A key to the species of Sciaphila in Borneo is provided. Key words: Lambir Hills National Park, mycoheterotrophy, new species, taxonomy The Triuridaceae Gardner are a group of fully Furthermore, key characters of the staminate mycoheterotrophic plants of deep shade in the fowers, which are crucial for precise identifca- understory of ever-wet forests in the tropics and tion, have not been documented for some species, subtropics worldwide, reaching their northern- especially if individual specimens were too most limits in Japan (van de Meerendonk 1984). young at the time of collection (Tsukaya & Okada The genus Sciaphila Blume, which contains ca. 2013, Tsukaya & Suetsugu 2014). Given such dif- 40 species, is the largest group within the family fculty of precise species identifcation, the tax- (van de Meerendonk 1984). onomy of Sciaphila remains to be revised. In taxonomic studies of Sciaphila, species Borneo is one of the most biodiverse regions have been primarily discriminated on the basis of of the world, particularly with respect to myco- the following foral traits: bisexual or unisexual heterotrophic plants, and harbors ca. 70 mycohet- fowers, number and shape of stamens and peri- erotrophic species, which is greater than the num- anth segments, shape of the apical perianth seg- ber of mycoheterotrophs documented in the ments, and shape and length of the styles (van de whole of tropical Africa (Merckx et al. 2013). Meerendonk 1984, Hsieh et al. 2003, Chanta- Furthermore, the high rate of species endemism naorrapint & Thaithong 2004, Averyanov 2007, in Borneo is particularly pronounced in the This- Ohashi et al. 2008, Suetsugu et al. 2016, Suetsu- miaceae and Orchidaceae, with Thismia (11 spe- gu & Nishioka 2017). As with most other myco- cies) and at least 17 mycoheterotrophic orchids heterotrophs, the plants are small, growing to a being endemic to Borneo (reviewed by Merckx et maximum height of 40 cm, are only recognizable al. 2013, Suetsugu et al. 2017). Borneo is also during the reproductive season and usually occur known for its great diversity in Sciaphila. Papua in small populations. Consequently, the species New Guinea was previously recognized as the have rarely been collected, and their morphologi- center of diversity for Sciaphila because it har- cal traits have rarely been described in detail. bored eight species (van de Meerendonk 1984). 176 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. Vol. 69 However, studies by Tsukaya and Okada (2013) terfall in dipterocarp forest, 22 March 2013, . Suetsuu and Tsukaya and Suetsugu (2014) added four spe- S (holo- dried plant on a herbarium sheet and liquid- preserved material in a bottle, labelled as the same speci- cies endemic to Borneo. Consequently, these men, SAR iso- dried plant on a herbarium sheet and liq- studies revealed that Borneo harbors at least 11 uid-preserved material in a bottle, KYO liquid-pre- species, with fve endemics. Because these four served material in a bottle, TNS). additional species were discovered during two limited surveys in two National Parks (Tsukaya Herbs, monoecious, mycoheterotrophic, perenni- & Okada 2013, Tsukaya & Suetsugu 2014), fur- al. Stem erect, 5–10 cm tall, reddish purple, gla- ther botanical surveys in Borneo will enable us to brous, unbranched at base underground part discover additional species and provide critical white. Roots fliform, glabrous. Scale leaves ca. data for conservation. 15, linear, ca. 1 mm long, apex acute. Infores- Lambir Hills National Park is located in the cence racemose, rachis 3–6.5 cm, 0.3–0.7 mm in Malaysian state of Sarawak. After launching the diam., reddish purple, 20–55-fowered fowers Long-term Ecological Research of Tropical Rain secund. Pedicels 7–9 mm long, 0.1 mm in diam., Forests in Sarawak (LTER), which is a collabora- patent at 70–100 from rachis, slightly recurved tion between the Forest Department of Sarawak apically. Bracts linear, ca. 0.8 mm long, apex and universities in both Japan and the United acute, appressed to pedicel. Staminate fowers ca. States, extensive studies have examined the fora, 0.5 mm across in nature, 1.3–1.4 mm across when fauna, physiology, and ecosystems of the area (re- fattened, perianth segments 6, more or less equal, viewed by Yamakura 1995, Ichie et al. 2009). connate at base, segments narrowly ovate, ca. During a botanical survey of the area in March 0.45 mm long, 0.22 mm wide, apex acute, swol- 2013, I collected several species of Sciaphila, in- len, long bearded. Stamens 3, sessile, flament cluding two new species that were reported previ- connective not extended. Anthers ellipsoid, 0.15 ously (Tsukaya & Suetsugu 2014). A thorough re- mm wide, 2-lobed, opening transversally. Car- view of the literature, herbarium specimens in pellate fowers 0.6–0.7 mm across in nature, ca. SAR, KYO and TI and online digitized plant col- 1.5 mm across when fattened, perianth segments lections, such as JSTOR Global Plants (http:// 6, more or less equal, connate at base, segments plants.jstor.org/), allowed me to determine that narrowly ovate to triangular, ca. 0.5 mm long, the collections contained one undescribed spe- 0.25 mm wide, apex acute, swollen, long bearded. cies. Here, I describe Sciaphila lambiensis with Carpels numerous, ellipsoid, ca. 0.3 mm long, a detailed morphological account. I also include a apex rounded style and stigma clavate, 0.3–0.4 key to the species of Sciaphila in Borneo. mm long, inserted laterally, fused along side of carpel. istibution phenoloy and peliminay Taxonomic treatment conseation status. Sciaphila lambiensis is cur- rently known only from a single population in a Sciaphila lambirensis Suetsugu, sp. nov.Figs. lowland dipterocarp forest in Lambir Hills Na- 1 & 2. tional Park. Sciaphila lambiensis fowers in March. The population contained only ca. 10 ma- Sciaphila lambiensis is similar to Sciaphila beistyla ture plants, and at present we are not aware of any Tsukaya & H. Okada in having six equal perianth seg- other localities where this species occurs. There- ments with a swollen apex bearing long hairs in both sta- minate and carpellate fowers, but differs in having a se- fore, S. lambiensis is classifed as Critically En- cund arrangement of the fowers and a long pedicel slight- dangered (CR) under Criterion D (IUCN 2012). ly recurved apically. ypus. MALAYSIA. Sarawak: Miri Division, Miri axonomic note. Sciaphila lambiensis has District, Lambir Hills National Park, near the No. 3 Wa- unisexual fowers with six equal perianth seg- October 2018 suetsugu‒Sciaphila lambiensis, a New Mycoheterotroph 177 Fig. 1. Sciaphila lambiensis (from the holotype). A. Flowering plants of Sciaphila lambiensis in its type locality. B. Staminate fower. C. Carpellate fower. Scale bars. B–C 0.5 mm. ments with a swollen apex bearing long hairs in During morphological comparisons of S. lam- both staminate and carpellate fowers, three sta- biensis with closely related species, I also no- mens and 2-lobed anthers. So far, the above com- ticed that a plant of Sciaphila recently recorded as bination of morphological characters is known S. thaidanica by Tsukaya & Okada (2013) from only in Sciaphila beistyla described from West Borneo may be differ from S. thaidanica K. Lars- Kalimantan, Borneo (Tsukaya & Okada 2013). en originally described from Thailand (Larsen However, S. lambiensis is clearly distinguish- 1961) because S. thaidanica sensu Tsukaya & able from S. beistyla by the secund arrange- Okada (2013) differs morphologically somewhat ment of the fowers (vs. spirally arranged), pedi- from S. thaidanica from Thailand such as the ar- cels 7–9 mm long, 0.1 mm in diam. (vs 2 mm rangement of the fowers (spirally-arranged vs. long, 0.2 mm in diam.), angle between the pedicel secund). Further studies are needed to elucidate and rachis axis 70–100 and pedicel slightly re- the taxonomic identity of S. thaidanica sensu curved apically (vs. angle 90–155 and pedicel Tsukaya & Okada (2013). nodding proximally or distally). 178 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. Vol. 69 table 1. Comparison of characters in ladopus pieei and . doianus. Fig. 2. Sciaphila lambiensis (from the holotype). A. Flowering plant. B. Flattened staminate fower. C. Carpellate fower. D. Carpellate fower at fruiting stage with persistent perianth segments. E. Anthers with foral disc. F. Immature carpel with stigma. G. Immature fruits. Scale bars A 1 cm. B–D 0.3 mm. E–G 0.1 mm. Drawn by Kumi Hamasaki. October 2018 suetsugu‒Sciaphila lambiensis, a New Mycoheterotroph 179 Key to the Species of Sciaphila in Borneo. 1a. Plants with bisexual and unisexual fowers ............................................................................................................................