Phrynium sp.

Niissalo, Matti A., Khew, Gillian S., Webb, Edward L. & Leong-Škorničková, Jana, 2016, Notes on Singaporean native Zingiberales II: revision of Marantaceae, with a new generic record and notes on naturalised and commonly cultivated exotic species, Phytotaxa 289 (3), pp. 201-224 : 216

6. Phrynium sp.

There is a small population of a second Phrynium sp. along Taban Loop. We have not seen fresh flowers on the plant, only a single old inflorescence (JL-S, personal observation). We have been unable to identify the species and we strongly suspect that it is an undescribed species of Phrynium . We investigated the position of the samples in Phrynium sensu Suksathan et al. (2009) by sequencing two entire DNA regions (GenBank accessions: ITS1= KX588493, rps16 intron= KX588494) and by conducting similar analysis as done for Stachyphrynium parvum using all sequences available in GenBank. We failed to match it closely with any other species in the genus and were unable to get a wellsupported structure to elucidate the position of this species. Only in neighbourhood joining using ITS1 it came out as a sister to Phrynium tristachyum Ridley (1924: 290) , a similar but much more robust species.

Superficially, this species is similar to Phrynium venustum Turner (1998: 39) , but differs by having larger and plain green leaves, which are completely glabrous including the sides of the midrib ( P. venustum instead has hairs at the sides of the midrib and pale stripes on the upper surface of the leaf). There is one collection at SING, currently filed under Phrynium tristachyum (E.J.H. Corner, S.F.N. 30397) from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia that apparently represents an undescribed species and is morphologically very similar to the Singaporean plant. The collection was discussed in some detail by Holttum (1951). A second unidentified collection from Sarawak (Hewitt 24) may also represent the same species. We were unable to acquire any DNA sequences from these herbarium specimens, but we suspect that the specimen Corner 30397 might be the best match to our species, especially as it was collected by Corner in the mid-1930’s and therefore fits the origin of several other introduced species in Taban Loop. In absence of any other evidence, we consider this species introduced. The species has an appearance of a large clone of Stachyphrynium parvum with green 14–17 cm long petioles and a lamina of 25–28 × 8 cm. The inflorescence is small, protected by a leaf-sheath similarly to that described above for Phrynium hirtum .