Liparis electricolor Margońska, 2023

Margońska, Hanna B., 2023, A new Liparis species (Orchidaceae, Liparidinae) in L. section Platyglossum, Phytotaxa 629 (3), pp. 290-294 : 290-293

Liparis electricolor Margońska , sp. nov. ( Figs 1–3 )

Type:— South East Asia, without precise locality, cultivated at Kopf Orchideen und Floristik and from 2018 at Gdańsk University, Faculty Biology glasshouse, Aug 2020, Margońska s.n. (holotype: UGDA-HBM-20200526 ; isotype: UGDA-HBM-20200526 spirit coll.)

Plants similar to Liparis balansae Gagnepain (1932: 165–166) , but with a narrower, single leaf on each pseudobulb and a lip narrowly triangular in general outline versus obovate, a gynostemium with staminodes up to 4.00 mm high and the distal part up to 2.00 mm high, shortly triangular.

Epiphytic herbs, 20–30 cm tall (inflorescences shorter than pseudobulb plus leaves) with an ascending rhizome. Pseudobulbs light green, 1.8–2.5 × 0.4–0.6 cm, oblong ovate, each usually covered by a scale. Leaves green, one per pseudobulb, blade ca. 10.0–18.0 × 1.1–2.2 cm, erect, usually narrowly elliptic to sometimes narrowly obovate (the broadest near or above the middle), attenuate, acuminate, base cuneate; petiole 1.6–3.5 × 5.0–9.0 cm (when spread), oblong. Inflorescence 14–22 cm, not exceeding the pseudobulb plus leaves, usually arcuately curved, racemose, 10–14 cm long, (6)8–14-flowered. Flowers yellow when young to usually amber-apricot when mature, 2.2–2.9 cm in diameter; tepals glossy; sepals triveined; dorsal sepal 1.20–1.40 × 0.11–0.13 cm, oblong, obtuse to subapiculate; lateral sepals 1.10–1.35 × 0.14–0.15 cm, oblique, oblong to oblong ovate, obtuse to subapiculate; petals 1.00–1.20 × 0.15–0.17 cm, nearly linear, univeined, obtuse to subapiculate; lip 1.00–1.25 × 0.55–0.78 cm, triangular in general outline; hypochile (the basal part, with darker basal bilobed callus) oblong, channelled, erect; epichile (distal part), oblong triangular, acuminate at the top; central thickening (perhaps a pseudonectary) running from the darker lip callus to nearly the top of epichile, smooth; boundary between hypochile and epichile curved, becoming more distinct at anthesis. Gynostemium ca. 0.70–0.80 cm long, column erect, arcuately curved at anthesis; staminodes up to 4.00 mm high, triangular but acute at distal part; anther with up to 2.00 mm long apical part.

Etymology:— Referring to the colour of the flowers, i. e., Latin amber coloured.

Distribution:— Known so far only from the type collection. Probably an epiphyte in populations mixed with L. balansea .

Notes:— Liparis balansae has a broadly obovate lip, elongate, falcate staminodia and large, oblong anther apex and elongate anther apex ( Fig. 4 , specimen deposited at HBM-UGDA-20190420), features occurring only in some species within Liparidinae. The newly proposed species has no such features.

Liparis sect. Platyglossum was proposed by Schlechter (1911 [1914]) with a lectotype species, Liparis plantaginea Schlechter (1911 [1914]: page), designated by van Royen (1979: 696). The newly proposed species belongs to this section because its habit and floral structures, e.g., single-leaved pseudobulbs, bent lip without thickening or/and auriculation, apically round or pointed with an elongate gynostemium ( Schlechter 1911 [1914]).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habit of Liparis electricolor. Photo by H.B. Margońska taken of the type specimen in the Gdansk University glasshouse.

FIGURE 2. Inflorescence of Liparis electricolor. Photo by H.B. Margońska (the type specimen, Margońska s.n.: UGDA-HBM- 20200526).

FIGURE 3. Flower of Liparis electricolor. Photo by H.B. Margońska (the type specimen, Margońska s.n.: UGDA-HBM-20200526).

FIGURE 4. Flower of Liparis balansae. Photo by H.B. Margońska (specimens deposited at HBM-UGDA-20190420).