Taiwania 64(1): 39-42, 2019 DOI: 10.6165/tai.2019.64.39 Kaempferia mahasarakhamensis, a new species from Thailand Surapon SAENSOUK1,2,* and Piyaporn SAENSOUK 1,3 1. Plant and Invertebrate Taxonomy and Its Applications Unit Group, Mahasarakham University, Thailand. 2. WalaiRukhavej Botanical Research Institute, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand. 3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakha 44150, Thailand. *Corresponding author’s email:
[email protected] (Manuscript received 20 August 2018; accepted 21 January 2019; online published 31 January 2019) ABSTRACT: Kaempferia mahasarakhamensis sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae), a new species from Northeastern Thailand, is described, photographed and illustrated. It can be easily recognized by its erect and elongate psuedostem, length of leaf sheaths and leaves elliptic with apex acuminate. The new species resembles K. larsenii Sirirugsa but it differs in its two leaves, pseudostem high, blade broadly elliptic, leaf apex acute, length of leaf sheath, length of petiole, number flower per inflorescence, white flower and labellum white with two darker purple patches towards the base. KEY WORDS: Kaempferia mahasarakhamensis; Maha Sarakham; New species; Thailand; Zingiberaceae. INTRODUCTION coloration at margins, purple-blotched at apex, apex acute; sheaths 3, up to 6 cm long, glabrous, reddish. Kaempferia belongs to Zingiberaceae (Sirirugsa, Inflorescence terminal, contemporaneous with leafy- 1992 and Larsen and Larsen, 2006). It comprises about shoot, semi-sessile, 1/3rd remained enclosed by the leaf- 60 species geographically distributed from India to sheath, each inflorescence with 10–15 flowers which Southeast Asia, where Thailand appears to be the richest opens one (or two to three) after another.