Coelogyne pallens Ridl., J. Asiat. Soc., Sci.

Adit, Arjun & Kumar, Pankaj, 2024, Taxonomy of Coelogyne section Fuliginosae (Orchidaceae): new species, notes, resurrections and typifications, Phytotaxa 668 (1), pp. 81-98 : 90

Coelogyne pallens Ridl., J. Asiat. Soc., Sci. 39: 81 (1903).

LECTOTYPE (designated here; Fig. 5 ). MALAYSIA. Perak, Taiping Hills, 25 Dec. 1901, Curtis s.n. ( SING!- SING0047020 !)). ( Fig. 5 ).

LECTOPARATYPE. MALAYSIA. Bujong Malacca, Ridley s.n. (SING [SING0133857])

Coelogyne padangensis J.J. Sm. & Schltr., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45: 6 (1911). Type: INDONESIA. Sumatra, Kampaeng Tengah, Schlechter 15950 (B-Holotype [missing]; BO!- Isotype).

DISTRIBUTION. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. LAOS, Bassac à Ubon, 1866, Thorel s.n. ( P!) ; MALAYSIA, Perak, Maxwell hill, Dec. 1897, Curtis s.n. ( SING!) ; Perak, Taiping Hills, Curtis s.n. ( SING!) ; THAILAND, Dan Chumpon, Krat, Chantaluim , 19 Dec. 1929, A. F. G. Kerr 0755 ( P!) ; VIETNAM, Dak Nong province, Dak Glong District, Dak Plao municipality, Ta Dung National Park , 28 Jan. 2021, M. S. Nuraliev, D. F. Lyskov, L. X. Dac NUR 3283 ( LE!) ; Lam Dong Prov., Da Lat city, 14 Nov. 2005, A. Averyanov and P. K. Loc HAL8635 ( LE!) ; Lang-bian , P. A Eberhardt 216 ( P!) .

NOTES. Ridley (1903) described the species from Malaysia citing two specimens, one from Taiping Hills by Curtis and other his own from Bujong Malacca. Since he did not designate a type from either of these, both specimens were subsequently treated as syntypes. Although both herbarium specimens are housed at SING, we have chosen Curtis’s (SING0047020) over Ridley’s (SING0133857) as the lectotype because it is freely accessible and is in good condition.

While describing C. pallens, Ridley (1903) mentions that the species closely resembled C. anceps , which is odd not just because these are in two different sections but also due to their very different plant and flower morphology. This species has been a topic of discussion for several years. While Seidenfaden (1975), Clayton (2002) and George & George (2011) considered it to be a distinct species, it was synonymised under C. fimbriata by Pelser et al. (2000). Although he did place this separately, Seidenfaden (1975) too was a bit unsure, and wondered if this could be placed as a variety of C. fimbriata . However, this species is clearly different from C. fimbriata due to sheer large size of its leaves (6 inches long), bulbs (3 inches long) and flowers (2 inches wide). Moreover, there is also presence of hairs (fimbriation) on the outer margins of labellum side lobes, a feature that is absent in C. fimbriata . This species differs from C. ovalis due to the presence of acute and pointed side lobes and lateral keels that are highest at the base.

In agreement with previous workers who recognised C. pallens as an accepted species, we too include C. padangensis as a synonym of this species based on its larger habit and flowers which have fimbriations on the labellum side lobe, unlike C. fimbriata . However, we are of the opinion that C. fimbriata var. annamica is better placed as a synonym of C. fimbriata for the reasons that have been mentioned under the notes for the latter species.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Curtis’s specimen (SING 0047020), selected here as lectotype of Coelogyne pallens © copyright of Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore.