Thursday, January 4, 2018

[Botany • 2017] Gastrodia putaoensis • A New Species of Gastrodia (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae) from montane region, northern Myanmar


Gastrodia putaoensis X.H. Jin


in Jin & Myint, 2017.
   DOI: 10.1111/njb.01581 

Abstract
Gastrodia putaoensis, a new species from the montane region in northern Myanmar, is described and illustrated. Gastrodia putaoensis is similar to G. dyeriana, but differs from it by having a narrowly triangular lip that is subdivided into two parts, with the apical part densely covered with yellow hairs and the apex obtuse and densely covered with red papillae.

Figure 1.  Gastrodia putaoensis sp. nov. (A) habit, (B) sepal lobes and petals, (C) lip, (D) front view of column.

Figure 2. Habit of Gastrodia putaoensis sp. nov.
Figure 3. Close up of flower of Gastrodia putaoensis sp. nov. (A) sepal and petal tubes, (B) lip.

Gastrodia putaoensis X.H. Jin sp. nov.


A species similar to G. dyeriana, but differing by having greyish white flowers with the lip narrowly triangular and subdivided into two parts with the apical part near tip densely covered with yellow hairs, and the lip apex obtuse and densely covered with red papillae.

Type: Myanmar, Kachin State, Putao District, Hkakaborazi National Park, under the montane evergreen broadleaf forests, 2200 m a.s.l.,   Xiaohua Jin et al., PT-2275 (holotype: PE!; isotypes: PE!, IBSC!).

Etymology: The epithet of the new species is derived from the name of Putao District, northern Myanmar, where the type was collected.

Ecology and distribution: Gastrodia putaoensis grows under montane broadleaf evergreen forest at 2000–2200 m a.s.l. During our fieldwork in Hkakaborazi in 2016, two populations with approximately 2000 plants were discovered. Both populations are far from any direct threats. Hence, this new species should be considered as ‘Least Concern’ (LC) according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 20012001).


Jin Xiao-Hua and Kyaw Myint. 2017. Gastrodia putaoensis sp. nov. (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae) from North Myanmar. Nordic Journal of Botany. 35(6); 730–732.  DOI: 10.1111/njb.01581