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| Kaempferia subglobosa Noppornch. & Jenjitt., in Nopporncharoenkul et Jenjittikul, 2024. |
Abstract
Kaempferia subglobosa (Zingiberaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species of Kaempferia subg. Protanthium from Tak Province, northern Thailand. It can easily be distinguished from all other species of subg. Protanthium by having branched storage roots with numerous, tiny, lateral and terminal subglobose to ovoid tubers. The diagnostic characters of this taxon are discussed and compared with those of the morphologically most similar species K. rotunda. Detailed photographs of plants and dissected flowers, and information on phenology, distribution and ecology, are provided. Interestingly, a red dwarf honeybee, Apis florea, is likely a pollinator. The IUCN conservation status of Vulnerable is assigned for K. subglobosa. In addition, the names K. uttaraditensis and K. kamthornii are synonymized with K. albiflora and K. takensis, respectively. As a result of this taxonomic revision, the Flora of Thailand currently harbours 14 species of the subgenus of which 9 strictly endemic. Two alternative updated identification keys for Kaempferia subg. Protanthium are also presented.
Keywords: Kaempferia albiflora; Kaempferia rotunda; Kaempferia subglobosa; Kaempferia takensis; Zingiberaceae; endemic species; northern Thailand; taxonomic revision
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| Kaempferia subglobosa Noppornch. & Jenjitt. a. Habit of vegetative part (a1: detail of ligules); b. rhizome and inflorescence; c. flower in front view; d. flower in side views; e. calyx; f. floral tube with ovary and stamen in front and side view; g. dorsal corolla lobe; h. lateral corolla lobes; i. lateral staminodes; j. labellum; k. detail of stamens and anther crests in front and side view; l. pistil; m. detail of stigma with upper part of style in front and side view; n. ovary with epigynous glands and lower part of style; o. fruit; p. seeds (all: Nattapon Nopporncharoenkul NNSB-749, QBG). — Drawing by Sunitsorn Pimpasalee. |
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| Kaempferia subglobosa Noppornch. & Jenjitt. a. Inflorescence and rhizome; b. habit; c. detail of ligules; d. rhizome with fascicled storage roots and numerous subglobose tubers; e. flower in front and side view; f. calyx (inset: detail of calyx apex); g. floral tube with ovary and stamen in front and side view; h. flower dissection (dc. dorsal corolla lobe; l. labellum; lc. lateral corolla lobe; ls. lateral staminode); i. detail of stamens and anther crests in front and side view; j. detail of pistil (from left to right: pistil; stigma and style in front and side view; ovary with epigynous glands); k. fruit; l. seeds (all: Nattapon Nopporncharoenkul NNSB-749, QBG). — Photos by N. Nopporncharoenkul. |
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| Kaempferia subglobosa Noppornch. & Jenjitt. at the type locality. a. Habit of the plants in flowering period (19 May 2023); b. habit of the plants in rainy season (11 Sept. 2019); c. flowers; d. flower with suspected pollinator red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea Fabricius, 1787); e. infructescence with dehisced capsules. (a, c–e: Nattapon Nopporncharoenkul NNSB-916, b: Nattapon Nopporncharoenkul NNSB-749; all QBG) — Photos by N. Nopporncharoenkul |
Kaempferia subglobosa Noppornch. & Jenjitt., sp. nov.
(subg. Protanthium)
Similar to Kaempferia rotunda L. in overall habit, inflorescences and flower colour, but differs in having the branched storage roots with numerous, tiny, lateral and terminal subglobose to ovoid tubers (vs storage roots not branched, consisting of a single, large, terminal fusiform, ellipsoid to ovoid tuber), ligules 7–14 mm long, opaque (vs ligules 1–3(–5) mm long, translucent), labellum narrowly obovate with an incision around 1/3 of its length (vs labellum obdeltoid to broadly obovate with an incision around 1/2 of its length), and the anther crest bifid apex with apices aristate, incision serrate to undulate, incision base angular (vs anther crest bilobed apex with apices acute, incision entire, usually with 2–3 small teeth between incision base).
Etymology. The specific epithet ‘subglobosa’ refers to the unique characteristic of the species, the branched storage roots with numerous, tiny subglobose tubers absent in all known taxa belonging to Kaempferia subg. Protanthium.
Nattapon Nopporncharoenkul and Thaya Jenjittikul. 2024. Taxonomic Revision of some taxa in Kaempferia subgenus Protanthium (Zingiberaceae) revealing A New Species from Thailand and two new synonyms. Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants. DOI: 10.3767/blumea.2024.69.01.03
