Strobilanthes kerrii Craib, 1912

Kladwong, Pornchai & Chantaranothai, Pranom, 2024, Notes on Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) with capitate inflorescences in Thailand, PhytoKeys 244, pp. 89-126 : 89-126

15. Strobilanthes kerrii Craib , Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912 (6): 267. 1912.

Figs 5 , 11 A

Goldfussia kerrii (Craib) Bremek. , Verh. Kon. Ned. Akad. Wetensch., Afd. Natuurk., Sect. 2. 41: 231. 1944.

Goldfussia lanuginosa Bremek. , Dansk Bot. Ark. 23: 276. 1966. Type: Thailand, Kawng San, 22 Jan 1964, Hansen 10872 (holotype C n. v.; isotypes L [ L 0002856!], U [ U 0000027!]).

Type.

Thailand, Phrae [Phrea], Huai [Hue] Kamin, 18 Feb 1910, Kerr 988 (lectotype K [ K 001514920!] designated here; isolectotypes BM [ BM 000793163!], E [ E 00136697!], K [ K 001514921!, K 001514922!], TCD!).

Distribution.

Endemic to Thailand.

Ecology.

By stream bank in dry evergreen forest and hill evergreen forest; 160–1,800 m alt., flowering and fruiting from September to March.

Selected specimens examined.

Thailand, Northern: Mae Hong Son, Pai, Mueang Sroi Waterfall, 800 m alt., 17 Jan 1983, Koyama et al. 32647 ( K, KYO); Chiang Mai, Doi Chiang Dao WS, 1,500 –1,800 m alt., 27 Oct 1979, Shimizu et al. 20918 ( BKF, L) & 20938 ( BKF, KYO, L); ibid., Kawng San, 1,150 m alt., 22 Jan 1964, Hansen 10872 ( L, U); Nan, Doi Phu Kha NP, 1,510 m alt., 4 Dec 1999, Srisanga 1233 ( BKF, QBG); Lamphun, Li, Mae Ping NP, Ko Luang Waterfall, 500 m alt., 23 Jan 2017, Pooma & Pattharahirantricin 7966 ( BKF); Phrae, Huai Kamin, ca. 300 m alt., 18 Feb 1910, Kerr 988 ( BM, E, K- 3 sheets, TCD); Tak, Mae Sot, Inthanin Cave Temple, 26 Dec 2010, Suksathan et al. 5447 ( L); Sukhothai, Kirimat, Ramkhamhaeng NP, 275 m alt., 27 Jan 1995, Maxwell 95-26 ( BKF, CMUB, L); ibid., Srichatchanalai NP, Tham Thara Wasan, 160 m alt., 17 Nov 2014, Norsaengsri 11509 ( QBG). North-eastern: Loei, Na Haew, Phu Suan Sai NP, 3 Sept 2008, Maknoi 2792 ( BKF, QBG); ibid., Phu Luang WS, 19 Nov 2019, Kladwong et al. 505 & 506 ( KKU).

Preliminary conservation status assessment.

This species has an Extent of Occurrence ( EOO) of 80,801.690 km 2 and an Area of Occupancy ( AOO) of 52.000 km 2 and is assessed as Least Concern ( LC) following IUCN (2022).

Notes.

Strobilanthes kerrii has many characteristics in common with S. capitata and S. speciosa , especially the leaf and bract shapes and inflorescence type. However, it can be distinguished due to the presence of rigid dark red trichomes on stems, petiole and peduncle that are absent in S. capitata and S. speciosa . Strobilanthes kerrii was treated as a synonym of S. speciosa ( Bennett and Scotland 2003), but now we conclude that it should be regarded as species in its own right.

This species was described by Craib (1912) based on Kerr 988 which has five duplicates, three of them were deposited at K [ K 001514920, K 001514921, K 001514922] and each one kept at BM [ BM 000793163], E [ E 00136697] and TCD. All are in good shape, but the sheet K 001514920 has more mature leaves and flowers. Therefore, we select this specimen as the lectotype.

Figures

Figure 5. Strobilanthes kerrii Craib A adaxial surface of leaves B abaxial surface of leaves C – F inflorescences and corolla.

Figure 11. Distribution maps of Strobilanthes with capitate inflorescence in Thailand A S. graminea J. B. Imlay, S. hypomalla Benoist and S. kerrii Craib B S. paniculiformis J. R. I. Wood, S. paniculata (Nees) Miq. and S. phengklaii Kladwong & Chantar. C S. phyllocephala J. R. I. Wood & Scotland, S. phyllostachya Kurz and S. serpens (Nees) J. R. I. Wood & Scotland D S. speciosa Blume and S. squalens S. Moore.