Phytotaxa 233 (2): 179–184 ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ PHYTOTAXA Copyright © 2015 Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.233.2.5 A new species of Gastrochilus and new records for the orchids of Nepal BHAKTA BAHADUR RASKOTI State Key Laboratory of Systematics and Evolutionary Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China (permanent ad- dress: Pokharathok-9, Arghakhanchi, Nepal); e-mail: [email protected] Abstract Gastrochilus nepalensis, a new species of orchids from central Nepal is described. A key to its allied species is provided. Thirteen species are reported as new records for Nepal: Epipogium japonicum, Goodyera nankoensis, Habenaria davidii, Habenaria wolongensis, Herminium chloranthum, Herminium kamengense, Herminium longilobatum, Herminium pusillum, Liparis campylostalix, Peristylus calcaratus, Platanthera stenochila, Platanthera roseotincta, Platanthera yadongensis. Key words: Habenaria, Herminium, Liparis, Peristylus, Platanthera, Flora Introduction Gastrochilus Don (32: 1825) is a genus of about 60 species (Govaerts et al. 2015) restricted to East Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia with its centre in southern China and northeast India (Tsi 1999, Pridgeon et al. 2003). It is distributed in the tropical, subtropical as well as temperate zone (Pearce & Cribb 2002, Pridgeon et al. 2003, Chen et al. 2009). This is a distinct genus which is characterized by a monopodial stem, its immobile lip firmly adnate to the column, saccate hypochile, short bifid rostellum, and porate pollinia (Tsi 1999, Pearce & Cribb 2002). Seven species of Gastrochilus are currently known from Nepal, with most of the species occurring in the subtropical to temperate zone and a few species in the tropical zone (Hara et al. 1978, Banerji & Pradhan 1984, Press et al. 2000, Department of Plant Resources 2001, Rajbhandari & Dahal 2004, Rajbhandari & Baral 2010). During fieldwork in the Nepal Himalayas in 2007, a remarkable species of Gastrochilus was collected. The morphological characters of this species do not match any of the previously described species in the genus. Therefore, this species is described here as a new taxon. In floristic surveys during 2007 to 2011 in different part of Nepal, thirteen new records of orchids for the flora of Nepal were also reported. Material and methods Specimens were collected according to the standard procedures during floristic surveys carried out in the different part of Nepal Himalayas in the period between 2007 to 2011. The specimens were dried and deposited in the National Herbarium and Plant Laboratories (KATH), Godawari, Lalitpur, Nepal. General features such as vegetative and floral characters of species were carefully examined from the preserved plant under a stereomicroscope. The new species was described after carefully examination of herbarium specimens. Comparisons with related species were made based on literature sources (Banerji & Pradhan 1984, Hooker 1890, King & Pantling 1898, Tsi 1999, Pearce & Cribb 2002, Chen et al. 2009). New records were confirmed after consulting the literature sources (Hara et al. 1978, Banerji & Pradhan 1984, Press et al. 2000, Department of Plant Resources 2001, Rajbhandari & Dahal 2004, Rajbhandari & Baral 2010, Rokaya et al. 2013). Accepted by Cássio van den Berg: 11 Oct. 2015; published: 4 Nov. 2015 179 Description of the species Gastrochilus nepalensis Raskoti, sp. nov. Fig 1. Type:—NEPAL. Central Nepal: Kaski District, above Deurali on the way to Kande, about 2350 m, 22 March 2007, Bhakta B. Raskoti 00745 (holotype: KATH!). FIGURE 1. Gastrochilus nepalensis A. Flowering plant. B. Flower (front view). C. Flower (dorsal view). D. Flower (ventral view). E. Dorsal sepal. F. Lateral sepal. G. Petal. H. Floral parts (spread). I. Lip. J. Floral bract. K. Pedicel and ovary with column. L. Fruit. M. Pollinia (side view). N. Pollinia (front view). (All figures from the type specimen Bhakta B. Raskoti 00745). 180 • Phytotaxa 233 (2) © 2015 Magnolia Press RASKOTI Diagnosis: Gastrochilus nepalensis is related to G. affinis (King & Pantling 1998: 228) Schlechter (1913: 314), but differs by having the leaf apex not tridentate, epichile of the lip distinctly three lobed, lateral lobes of the epichile entire and much larger than the midlobe, midlobe suborbicular without a line of median ridge but with a papillose or rugose callus. Epiphytic pendulous herbs about 7 cm long. Roots rigid, wiry, flexuose. Stem pendent, covered with sheathing leaf-bases. Leaves distichous, oblong-lanceolate, base sheathing, apex subacute, leathery, green tinged purple, 1.5–2 cm long, 0.5 cm wide. Inflorescence axillary, arising laterally near the base of leaves, 1–3-flowered, 1.5–2 cm long; peduncle slender, tinged purple, with ovate, acute sterile bracts; floral bracts laxly arranged, ovate, apices acute, concave, whitish-brown tinged purple, ca. 2 mm long. Flowers not widely opening, ca. 5 mm across, pedicel and ovary 6 mm, ovary terete, ridged, tinged purple. Dorsal sepal oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse, violet with whitish green margin, curved, ventral side with a central keel, 3.0 × ca. 1.5 mm; lateral sepals oblong, apex sub-acute, violet with whitish green margin,1.5 mm long, 1 mm wide. Petals elliptic, apex obtuse, violet with whitish green margin, 2.5 × 1.0 mm, curved, concave. Lip hypochile saccate, tinged with deep purple, 3×2 mm, sac conical, bifid, spur-like; epichile 3-lobed, lateral lobes subauriform, 2×1.5 mm, light green flushed with violet, margin entire; midlobe violet with whitish green margins, suborbicular, 1×1 mm, base with rugose callus, margins entire. Column broad, ca. 2 mm long; operculum semicircular, 1 × 1 mm; pollinia 2, globose, 1.5 mm, stipe 1 mm, viscidium ca. 1 mm. Fruit an ovoid capsule, tinged with dark purple,1 cm long and ca. 1.8 cm in diameter. Flowering time:—March Distribution:—Known only from type locality in central Nepal. Habit and habitat:—Epiphytic on moss covered medium sized tree trunks and main branches mainly in the primary forest having partial shade. Etymology:—Named for Nepal, the country of type locality. Notes:—Gastrochilus nepalensis is morphologically related to G. affinis by sharing characters such as purple- tinged leaves and the spur-like conical lip hypochile with a bilobed apex. However, G. nepalensis differs from G. affinis by having the leaf apex not tridentate, and floral characters such as the distinctly 3-lobed lip epichile violet with whitish-green margins, epichile lateral lobes entire and much larger than the midlobe, midlobe much smaller, suborbicular without a line or median ridge but with a papillose or rugose callus. Gastrochilus affinis, in contrast, has a tridentate leaf-apex, an entire, triangular and larger yellowish epichile with a median ridge, and erose margins at the base. Gastrochilus nepalensis flowering time is March (G. affinis is June–July). Other two species, Gastrochilus distichus (Lindley 1859: 36) Kuntze (1891: 661) and G. pseudodisticus (King & Pantling 1995: 341) Schlechter (1913: 315) are somewhat similar to G. nepalensis in general morphology but these two species have comparatively larger epichile and unlobed hypochile. The vegetative growing of the plants is more vigorous with longer stems in G. disticus and G. psudodisticus and often forming clumps. Key to Gastrochilus nepalensis and allied species 1a. Hypochile not lobed ...........................................................................................................................................................................2 1b. Hypochile bilobed ..............................................................................................................................................................................3 2a. Epichile with a callus .........................................................................................................................................................G. distichus 2b. Epichile without a callus ....................................................................................................................................... G. pseudodistichus 3a. Midlobe of epichile triangular with a median ridge ..............................................................................................................G. affinis 3b. Midlobe of epichile suborbicular with a rugose callus ...................................................................................................G. nepalensis New records for the flora of Nepal Nepal has about 458 species of orchids (Rokaya et al. 2013) and the number of addition has been accelerating in recent years. In the following, thirteen species are added from different parts of Nepal. Herminium chloranthum Tang & Wang (1940: 32–33) NEPAL. Central Nepal: Mustang district, above Jharkot at 3,800 m, Raskoti 00139 (KATH). Habitat: Terrestrial in alpine meadows on moraine deposits. Flowering time: August. Distribution: China, Nepal. A NEW SPECIES OF GASTROCHILUS Phytotaxa 233 (2) © 2015 Magnolia Press • 181 Herminium longilobatum Hegde & Rao (1982: 47) NEPAL. Eastern Nepal: Solukhumbu district, below Sete, 2,500 m, Raskoti 01299 (KATH). Habitat: Terrestrial in forest margins on humus rich places. Flowering time: July. Distribution: China, India, Nepal. Note: This species is closely related to Herminium lanceum (Thunberg ex Swart 1800: 223) Vuijk (1961: 228) but H. longilobatum differs in having a callus in the lip and the lateral lobes of lip are about ten times longer