 |
| Pteroceras dalaputtuwa Atthanagoda, Priyadarshana, Wijewardana, Aberathna & Kumar, in Priyadarshana, Atthanagoda, Wijewardhane, Siriweera, Aberathna et Kumar, 2019. |
Abstract
Pteroceras dalaputtuwa, a new species, is described from the lowland-wet zone of Sri Lanka. For the first time in the history of plant nomenclature, a new species is named after an elephant, ‘Galgamuwa Dala Puttuwa’, which was killed for its majestic ivory. The new species shows a close morphological affinity with P. philippinense from the Philippines. However, P. dalaputtuwa sp. nov. can be readily distinguished by having small and partially opened flowers (10 mm long × 5 mm wide), short petals (4 mm long × 1 mm wide), short sepals (4.9 mm long × 3.0 mm wide) and elongated rectangular-oval spur (7 mm long × 3 mm wide). P. viridiflorum, which is considered as a “Critically Endangered Possibly Extinct” [CR(PE)] orchid, is also re-collected after after a gap of nearly 150 years with a record of a new colour form (white colour variant) and, is re-described with designation of a lectotype and an epitype.
Keywords: conservation, epitype, lectotype, orchid, tusker, wet zone, Monocots
Pteroceras dalaputtuwa Atthanagoda, Priyadarshana, Wijewardana, Aberathna & Kumar, sp. nov.
Etymology:—This specific epithet, ‘dalaputtuwa’, means entwined and is chosen in honor of an iconic entwined tusker (Galgamuwa Dala Puttuwa, Fig. 3) from Sri Lanka, which was killed by poachers for its majestic ivory. Thereason for this choice of name is to attract wider public and government attention pertaining to the need for improved conservation policies to protect Sri Lankan biodiversity.
Tharaka S. Priyadarshana, Anusha G. Atthanagoda, Ishara H. Wijewardhane, Kawshalya S. Siriweera, Nimantha Aberathna and Pankaj Kumar. 2019. Pteroceras dalaputtuwa (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Vandeae: Aeridinae), A New Species from Sri Lanka and Re-collection of Pteroceras viridiflorum after 150 years. Phytotaxa. 399(1); 65–76. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.399.1.7
