Friday, October 5, 2018

[Botany • 2018] Ceropegia foetidiflora (Asclepiodoideae, Apocynaceae) • A New Species from northeastern Thailand


Ceropegia foetidiflora Kidyoo

in Kidyoo, 2018. 

ABSTRACT
 A newly discovered species from northeastern Thailand, Ceropegia foetidiflora Kidyoo, is here described and illustrated. Photographs and diagnostic comparison with the morphologically similar species, C. thorelii Costantin, are provided. These two species display clear difference in hairiness on the surfaces of the corolla tube and the corolla lobes, and shape of the corolla lobes. 

KEY WORDS: Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Northeastern Thailand, Open sandy area, Strong musty smell. 

Fig. 1. Illustrations of Ceropegia foetidiflora sp. nov. (a) habit, (b) flower bud, (c) longitudinal section of flower showing corona and gynostegium, (d) top view of gynostegium, (e) pollinarium, (f) fruit, (g) seed.
Drawn by Manit Kidyoo from M. Kidyoo 1557 (a)–(e) and M. Kidyoo 1616 (f)–(g).

Fig. 2. Vegetative and reproductive parts of Ceropegia foetidiflora sp. nov. 

Ceropegia foetidiflora Kidyoo, sp. nov. 

Ceropegia foetidiflora is distinguished from C. thorelii by its corolla tube which is glabrous outside, lanceolate-oblong corolla lobes that are nearly as long as the tube and densely pubescent on the adaxial surface and glabrous on the abaxial surface. Contrarily, C. thorelii bears pubescent corolla tube, ovate-lanceolate corolla lobes that are shorter than the tube and hairy on the midrib of the adaxial surface and pubescent on the abaxial surface as well as margins. 

Type: THAILAND. Phu Langka National Park, Bueng Kan Province, 520 m a.s.l., 14 August 2012, M. Kidyoo 1557 (holotype: BKF, isotype: BCU). 


Habitat, ecology and distribution: Ceropegia foetidiflora occurs about 520 m a.s.l. in Phu Langka National Park, Bueng Kan Province, northeastern Thailand (Fig. 3). It is perennial herb growing in sandy soil, open areas of dry deciduous dipterocarp forest. Flowering July–October. 


Fig. 2. Vegetative and reproductive parts of Ceropegia foetidiflora sp. nov. (a–c) compared with those of C. thorelii (d–e): (a) habit; (b), (d) flower; (c), (e) side view of gynostegium.
Photograph by Manit Kidyoo.


Manit Kidyoo. 2018. Ceropegia foetidiflora sp. nov. (Asclepiodoideae, Apocynaceae), A New Species from northeastern Thailand. Taiwania. 63(4); 327-332.   DOI: 10.6165/tai.2018.63.327