Kaempferia pascuorum Insis., 2020

Insisiengmay, Oudomphone, Newman, Mark Fleming & Haevermans, Thomas, 2020, Two new species of Kaempferia L. (Zingiberaceae) from Cambodia and Lao PDR, European Journal of Taxonomy 712, pp. 1-15 : 8-11

Kaempferia pascuorum Insis. sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77211165-1 Figs 4–5 , Table 3

Diagnosis

Belonging to Kaempferia subg. Kaempferia and most similar to K. larsenii by its habit, size around 6–10 cm tall, leaf blade erect, similar in shape, parallel-veined and glabrous but distinguished by the following characters: leaf sheath and young shoot apex green, staminodes white, labellum white with purple patch, crest flabellate, apex bifid, irregularly rounded, white.

Etymology

This species epithet is derived from the Latin ‘ pascuorum ’ (of pastures), referring to their habitat.

Material examined

Type

LAO PDR • Prov. Champassak, Dist. Khong, Cambodian-Laotian border ; 13°56′ N, 106°1′ E; alt. 84 m; O. Insisiengmay et al. OI. 116; 16 Jun. 2016; holotype: HNL (dried coll. only); isotypes: E (dried coll. only), P (dried and spirit coll.), RUPP (dried coll. only) .

Additional material

CAMBODIA • Prov. Stung Treng, Dist. Siem Pang, Siem Pang Village, Sekong Commune ; 14°6′ N, 106°22′ E; alt. 71 m; O. Insisiengmay et al. OI. 237; 10 Jul. 2017; P (dried and spirit coll.), RUPP (dried coll. only) .

LAO PDR • Champassak Province, Khong District; 14°5′ N, 105°52′ E; alt. 97 m; O. Insisiengmay et al. OI. 112; 17 Jun. 2016; P (spirit coll. only) • Mounlapamok District, Nong Nga village, Thong Nong Phue ; 14°22′ N, 105°30′ E; alt. 107 m; V. Lamxay et al. VL1881; 10 Jun. 2009; E, Natl. Univ. Laos, Fac. Science, SING, VNM .

Description

Perennial herb, 6–10 cm tall. Rhizome short, horizontal; roots of two kinds, tuberous, ca 6–10 × 3–5 mm, and filamentous. Most individuals with one flowering shoot. Leaves two with two leafless sheaths, 10–50 × 5–20 mm, green; ligule a very small rim at junction of sheath and blade, <1 mm long, sparsely ciliate; longest leaf blade 200× 25 mm, narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, erect, glabrous, base attenuate, apex attenuate; petiole absent. Inflorescence terminal, peduncle 5–18 mm long, flowers 1–6. Bracts narrowly elliptic, glabrous, 35 × 4 mm, hyaline, subtending a single flower; bracteoles 2 per flower, opposite, narrowly triangular to subulate, largest one 27 × 1.5 mm, diminishing to 25 × 1 mm, hyaline, glabrous. Calyx tubular, 45 × 4 mm (not flattened), glabrous, apex 3-dentate, greenish and translucent; floral tube 75–90 × 4 mm (not flattened), glabrous, white; dorsal corolla lobe linear-acuminate, 40 × 6 mm, white, glabrous, apex with 5 mm long mucro; lateral corolla lobes linear-acuminate, 35 × 5 mm, white, glabrous, apex acute; lateral staminodes oblong, 30 × 10 mm, white, glabrous; labellum obcordate, 35–40 × 15–20 mm, white with purple patch at centre, glabrous, apex bifid, divided to 15–20 mm, lobes emarginate; stamen attached at mouth of floral tube, filament 2 mm long, thecae 4 mm long, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, crest flabellate, 3× 5 mm to 12 × 6 mm, bifid, irregularly divided to 1–3 mm, white, glabrous; epigynous glands two, subulate, 6–8 mm long; ovary cylindrical, 5× 3 mm, glabrous, trilocular with axile placentation, ovules 2–6 per locule, 1 × 0.5 mm; stigma 1 mm long, obcuneiform, curved longitudinally, ostiole ciliate. Fruit dehiscent irregularly, cylindrical, obovate-oblong, ca 10–15× 4–7 mm, calyx persistent; mature seeds not seen.

Distribution and habitat

Southern Lao PDR and Cambodia, paddy fields or in very open areas, in sandy soil.

Conservation status

Proposed IUCN status EN B1, B2, a, b(iii). EOO = 480 km 2, AOO = 12 km 2. This species is only known at three locations near the Cambodian-Lao border, none of which is protected in law. The main threat in Lao PDR comes from agriculture, particularly the creation of pathways to and between fields. The Cambodian location is within a built-up area in Siem Pang town. It may be developed in future. The number of mature individuals found at each location is less than 20.

Figures

Fig. 4. Kaempferia pascuorum Insis. sp. nov. in natural habitat. Photograph: Oudomphone Insisiengmay.

Fig. 5. Kaempferia pascuorum Insis. sp. nov. A. Whole plant. B. Leaves. C. Ligule. D. Flower. E. Flower dissected. F. Floral tube with anther attached. G. Anther crest from above. H. Stamen and stigma. I. Calyx. J–K. Apex of calyx from two different views. L. Bract. M–N. Bracteoles. O. Ovary and epigynous glands. Drawing from the type material by Agathe Haevermans (O. Insisiengmay et al. OI. 116).