Coelogyne putaoensis X.H. Jin, L.A. Ye & Schuit., 2017

Aung, Ye Lwin, Jin, Xiaohua & Schuiteman, Andre, 2017, Coelogyne putaoensis (Orchidaceae), a new species from Myanmar, PhytoKeys 82, pp. 27-34 : 28

Coelogyne putaoensis X.H. Jin, L.A. Ye & Schuit. sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2 , 3

Diagnosis.

Coelogyne putaoensis is similar to C. taronensis and C. weixiensis , but can be distinguished by its solid yellowish brown sepals and petals, a brown lip with bright yellow markings, three keels extending from the base of the lip onto the mid-lobe, and lateral keels adorned with papillae.

Type.

MYANMAR. Kachin State: Putao Township, Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary , subtropical, evergreen, broad-leaved, montane forest, 2500-3100 m, epiphytic on tree trunks or lithophytic on rocks, 14 June 2016, Xiaohua Jin et al, PT-2116 (Holotype, PE!) .

Description.

Pseudobulbs crowded on a short and stout rhizome, ovoid, 2.5-3.2 × 0.8-0.9 cm, when mature covered with brown sheaths at the base, bifoliate. Leaves erect, petiolate, ovate-lanceolate, 6.5-9.5 × 1.2-1.8 cm, including the ca. 1 cm long petiole, acute to acuminate, coriaceous, with 5-7 veins. Inflorescence proteranthous, peduncle arching, 2-3.5 cm long, rachis slender, 2.5 cm long, 2- to 3- flowered. Flowers yellowish brown, up to 6 cm across, lip adaxially on the mid-lobe with a large, bright yellow patch, connected to a bright yellow blotch on the front part of each of the side lobes, the keels orange-brown with much paler, almost whitish marginal papillae. Pedicel-with-ovary 2.2-2.5 cm long, glabrous. Dorsal sepal narrowly elliptic, 3.2 × 1.3 cm, 7-veined, acute. Lateral sepals oblique, oblong-lanceolate, 3.5 × 1 cm, 7-veined, acuminate. Petals narrowly oblanceolate, 2.9 × 0.5 cm, 5-veined, acute at apex, clawed at base. Lip 3-lobed, 2.7 × 1.6 cm; lateral lobes rounded, erect; mid-lobe triangular, 1.6 × 1 cm, margin undulate and lacerate; callus of three keels, extending from the base of lip to the middle (lateral keels) or apex of the mid-lobe (central keel), the central one lower than the lateral two on the mid-lobe, margins of the lateral keels adorned with papillae. Column arching, winged at apex, 1.9 cm long. Fruit not seen.

Etymology.

The new species is named after Putao, the northernmost town of Myanmar near which it was discovered in a vast area of unspoiled mountain forest.

Distribution and habitat.

Coelogyne putaoensis is a predominantly epiphytic species that grows on moss-covered branches and tree trunks, sometimes also on rocks, in humid, broad-leaved, evergreen, montane forest, from 2500 to 3100 m elevation. At present, C. putaoensis is only known from the type locality.

Conservation status.

Least Concern (LC). Coelogyne putaoensis was collected in the Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary, Putao, Northern Myanmar. Until now, only one population, consisting of ca. 200 individuals, has been discovered in the reserve (1044 square miles), which is a legally protected area under the management of the Myanmar Forest Department. As no threat currently affects the quality of its habitat and the number of mature individuals, the species is here assigned a preliminary status of Least Concern (LC) according to the guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2017).

Key to Coelogyne putaoensis , C. taronensis and C. weixiensis

1	Flowers almost solid yellowish brown, except for yellow patches on the lip; lip with three lamellate keels, all extending onto the mid-lobe, the lateral ones with marginal papillae	Coelogyne putaoensis
-	Flowers white, light greenish or light yellow, sepals and petals with or without darker veins, lip with two or four orange to red-brown blotches (resembling eye-spots) and with two or three lamellate keels, the central one, if present, not extending onto the mid-lobe; the lateral ones without marginal papillae	2
2	Sepals and petals white or greenish white, without coloured veins; dorsal sepal 11-veined; lip usually with 4 eye-like yellow blotches bordered with brown, two on the mid-lobe and two on the side-lobes; mid-vein white	Coelogyne taronensis
-	Sepals and petals yellowish with orange-brown veins; dorsal sepal 7-9-veined; lip with two solid brown spots on the side-lobes, sometimes with an orange patch between the keels on the mid-lobe; mid-vein brown	Coelogyne weixiensis

Figures

Figure 1. Coelogyne putaoensis X. H. Jin, L. A. Ye & Schuit. A Inflorescence B Dorsal sepal C Lateral sepals D Petal E Lip F Lateral view of column. Illustration by Yunxi Zhu.

Figure 2. Habit of Coelogyne putaoensis. Photo by X. H. Jin.

Figure 3. Close-up of flower of Coelogyne putaoensis, showing the white papillae on the two lateral lamellae. Photo by X. H. Jin.