J. Jpn. Bot. 92(2): 82–86 (2017) A New Species of Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) from Manipur, India Biseshwori THONGAM* and Bipin KONSAM Plant Systematics and Conservation Laboratory, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Takyelpat, Imphal, Manipur, 795001 INDIA *Corresponding author: [email protected] (Accepted on December 21, 2016) A new species, Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis Biseshwori & Bipin (Zingiberaceae) is described. This is the first report of the genus from Manipur, India. Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis is characterized by tubular calyx widened in the middle and tapering towards the apex and suborbicular, deeply split labellum with elongated, obtuse tips. Full description and a photographic plate of this new species and comparative analysis among three Caulokaempferia are presented. Key words: Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis, India, Manipur, new species, Shirui Hill. The genus Caulokaempferia K. Larsen The combination of floral features is unique; was established by Larsen (1964). It belongs calyx tubular, apex often 2–3-toothed; corolla to the pantropical monocotyledonous family tube long, narrow, widened at mouth; lobes 3, Zingiberaceae containing about 53 genera central one slightly longer and wider than lateral and over 1200 species, mostly occurring from ones; lateral staminodes petaloid, large; labellum India to New Guinea (Kress et al. 2002). orbicular or broadly ovate, large, concave, Caulokaempferia comprises about 30 species apex entire or 2-lobed; filament very short or (WCSP 2013) or about 25 species (Intharapichai absent, borne on the adaxial side of the corolla 2015), distributed from the Himalayas through tube; anther basifixed; connective forming a South China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. conspicuously reflexed crest; ovary -3 loculed. Thailand is the centre of diversity (Roy and In India, so far three species are reported viz., Barbhuiya 2013), having the highest number Caulokaempferia linearis (Wall.) K. Larsen, C. of species, 21 species are reported so far. Five secunda (Wall.) K. Larsen and C. sikkimensis species in Laos, three species in South China (King ex Baker) K. Larsen. In this paper, a new and two species in Vietnam (Chaiyoot 2007). species is described and comparative studies are Recently two new species, Caulokaempferia presented with three species recorded in India kayinensis Picheans. & Sangnark and C. (Table 1). This is the first report of the genus monensis Picheans. & Sangnark, have been from Manipur, India. described from south Myanmar (Sangnark et al. 2016) Material and Methods These are small perennial herbs with terminal During a fieldtrip to Shirui Hill, in Ukhrul inflorescences. Pseudostems are erect and leafy. district, Manipur, India which is about 90 km —82— April 2017 The Journal of Japanese Botany Vol. 92 No. 2 83 Table 1. Comparison among Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis, C. linearis, C. sikkimensis and C. secunda Character\taxa C. dinabandhuensis C. linearis C. sikkimensis C. secunda Plant and 28–51 cm long, bladeless 11–21 cm long, 5–15 cm long, bladeless 15–30 cm long, bladeless bladeless leaf-sheaths 2–3, shortly bladeless leaf-sheaths leaf-sheaths 2–3, leaf-sheaths 2–3, leaf-sheath petiolate 2, shortly petiolate sessile petiolate Leaf leaves 3–5, narrowly leaves 9–11, linear to leaves 5–6, sessile, leaves 4–8, blades ovate ovate to lanceolate, lanceolate, 1.5–6.5 blades lanceolate or to acuminate, 1.5–11 10–14 × 2–4 cm, base × 0.3–1 cm, green, ovate to lanceolate, × 2.5–4 cm, dark cuneate, apex elongated base attenuate, apex 1.5–5.5 × 0.5–2 green above, dull acuminate, ligules caudate, ligules 5 cm, base rounded green beneath, base 0.3–0.5 cm long, entire, mm long, entire, or cuneate, apex rounded or cuneate, apex rounded, petioles membranous, brown, caudate, ligules apex caudate, ligules 0.2–0.5 cm long apex acuminate, 0.2–0.3 cm, entire, 0.5–0.8 cm long, petioles 0.2–0.5 cm membranous entire, apex acuminate, long petioles 1–2 cm long Bract 2–3, broadly elliptic to 2, lanceolate, 3.4–4 × 0.6– 1–3, lanceolate, 2–3 × 2–4, ovate, 3.5–4 × 1.4– oblong, 2–4 × 1–1.4 cm, 0.7 cm, green, apex 0.3–0.5 cm, green, 1.8 cm, green, apex pink, apex acute, margin acute to acuminate, apex acuminate, acuminate, margin entire, translucent margin entire, glabrous margin entire, glabrous entire, glabrous Bracteole 1.5–2 × 0.5–0.7 cm, ca. 1 cm long, ovate 0.8 cm long, linear, 0.6–0.9 × 0.4–0.6 cm, oblong, pink to acuminate, green ovate, membranous, membranous, green transparent in colour Calyx 2–3 cm long, tubular half 0.8–0.9 cm long, tubular, 1–1.5 cm long, tubular, 1–1.2 cm long, tubular, the length, widening 2-lobed, Lobes ovate, greenish colour 2-lobed, lobes acute, in the middle, tapering 0.20–0.25 cm long, transparent white– toward the apex, split on pinkish white green one side, 2-lobed, apex acute, pink Corolla tube 2.4–3.4 cm long, tube 2.5–3 cm long, tube 3–4 cm long, tube 4–5 cm long, lobes glabrous, pink, dorsal slender, dorsal lobe 0.7 slender, lobes linear linear to oblong, ca. 9 lobe, 1 × 0.5 cm, oblong, × 0.4 cm long, lobes to oblong, dark pink, cm long apex obtuse, hooded, ovate to lanceolate, 1–1.5 cm long lateral lobes, 1 × 0.4 cm, 0.7–1 × 0.3–0.4 cm, oblong, apex hooded, pinkish white pink Lateral 1.1 × 1 cm, oblong, apex ca. 1 × 0.7 cm, 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.7 cm, 1–1.5 × 0.7–1 cm, staminode obtuse suborbicular, broadly orbicular to cuneate, oblong to cuneate, obtuse obtuse broadly obtuse. Lip 2.5 × 2.3 cm, suborbicular, 1.8–2 × 1–1.3 cm, white ca. 2 × 1.5 cm, white, 2.3–2.7 cm broad, deeply split 1–2 cm reniform, tinged suborbicular, entire broadly cuneate, long, tips elongated, with yellow spot at emarginate retuse, with white blotch the throat, trilobed, at base, cuneate mid-lobe slightly emarginate Anther and 0.3–0.5 cm long, anther 0.4–0.5 cm long, anther 0.2–0.3 cm long, anther 0.3–0.5 cm long, anther anther crest crest obovate, 0.3–0.5 crest large, sub- crest large, ovate, crest large, ovate, cm in diam., apex erect orbicular, 4–5 × 3–4 recurved recurved in young, reflexed in mm, recurved old Fruit and seed not seen 1.5 cm long, seeds 1.5 cm long, seeds many, 1.5 cm long, seeds many, ellipsoid, grey ellipsoid, grey many, ellipsoid, grey 84 植物研究雑誌 第 92 巻 第 2 号 2017 年 4 月 from Imphal, a population of an unknown lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 10–14 × 2–4 Caulokaempferia species was found growing in cm, base cuneate to rounded, apex elongated rock cervices, boulders and humus rich soil. The acuminate, pubescent with soft hairs on both plants were then carried back to the Institute for sides, more in groove; ligules membranous, identification and further taxonomy. Shirui Hill 0.2–0.3 cm long, sparsely hairy, apex rounded. is famous for the endemic lily, Lilium mackliniae Inflorescence terminal; flowers entirely pink; Sealy (Liliaceae). The highest peaks are Lurae peduncle 4–7 cm long. Bract 1, 2–4 × 1–1.4 (2938 m), Leyal Hill (1136 m) and Shirui Hill cm, broadly elliptic to oblong, pink, apex acute, (2566 m). Because of its altitude, Shirui Hill is margin transculent. Bracteoles 1.5–2 × 0.5–0.7 dominated by temperate forest. This forest type cm, oblong, pink, membranous. Calyx tubular, is usually found in the elevations between 1500 2–3 cm long, tubular half the length, widening m and 2500 m above sea level. The dominant in the middle, tapering toward the apex, spilt tree species are Alnus nepalensis, Michelia on one side, pink, apex bilobed, acute. Corolla campbelli, Pinus kesiya, Quercus griffithii, Q. tube 2.4–3.4 cm long, glabrous, pink; dorsal serrata, Castanopsis spp., Cinnamomum sp., lobe 1 × 0.5 cm, oblong, apex obtuse, hooded; Phoebe hainesiana, Magnolia sp., etc. Other lateral lobes 1 × 0.4 cm, oblong, apex hooded, plant species include Anemone spp., Thalictrum pink. Staminodes 1.1 × 1.0 cm, oblong, apex foliolosum, Gentiana spp., Arisaema spp., rounded, base oblique. Labellum 2.5 × 2.3 Lilium mackliniae, Iris spp., Aconitum spp., cm, suborbicular, deeply split 1–2 cm long, Panax pseudoginseng, Paris polyphylla and tips elongated, obtuse, with white blotch at the Smilax spp. At higher altitude Rhododendron throat, base cuneate. Anther 0.3–0.5 cm long; predominate with Eriobotrya, Prunus, Spiraea crest obovate, 0.3–0.5 cm in diameter, apex and other members of Rosaceae, Zingiberaceae, erect, then reflexed. Stigma funnel-shaped, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae, Ericaceae, inserted between anther sacs, margin raised on Asteraceae etc., are found to occupy at lower both sides, ciliate. Epigynous gland 1, ca. 1 mm altitude. long, tip blunt, light brown. Ovary 2 mm long, oblong, glabrous, 3-locular; ovules numerous, Taxonomic treatment turn green to tinged red when mature. Fruits nor Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis seeds unknown. Biseshwori & Bipin, sp. nov. Phenology: Flowering June–July; fruiting Type: INDIA. Manipur; Shirui Hills, August–September. 25°06′27.6′′N 094°27′23.9′′E, 2215 m above Etymology: The specific epithet is in honour sea level, 13 July 2016, Thongam Biseshwori, of Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo, Director, IBSD/Z-120 (ASSAM–holotype; IBSD– Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable isotype). [Fig. 1] Development, Imphal. The plant grows on the This new species is similar to hill slopes and was first spotted by him during a Caulokaempferia secunda (Wall.) K. Larsen field survey trip to Shirui Hill.