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| Geocharis globosa Zulaspita & Nurainas, in Nurainas, Zulaspita, Febriamansyah, Syamsuardi et Poulsen, 2024. |
Abstract
Recent fieldwork conducted in Sumatra resulted in unusual collections of the conspicuous ginger genus Geocharis, a genus that harbours a total of six species distributed in Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and the Philippines. After carefully reviewing types and protologues of existing taxa, we conclude that the recent collections represent a new species described here as Geocharis globosa, which is similar to G. aurantiaca, G. rubra and G. radicalis by the flowers spreading evenly in all directions but differs from these by the less divided labellum and by the unstructured and smooth globose fruits. We provide a detailed description and a photographic plate as well as a preliminary Red List Assessment for the new species. With the new species added to Geocharis macrostemon and G. radicalis, the number of species in Sumatra hereby increases to three. A recircumscription of the genus is provided, taking into account the unusual fruit character of the new species.
Key words: Geocharis globosa, globose fruit, Mount Marapi, taxonomy, West Sumatra, wild gingers
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| Geocharis globosa Zulaspita & Nurainas, sp. nov. A habit B sheath (with tessellate pattern), ligule and base of leaf blade C inflorescence D flower dissection E infructescence F fruit G seeds with and without aril. Photographs by T.A. Febriamansyah, edited by A.D. Poulsen. |
Geocharis globosa Zulaspita & Nurainas, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: The new species is similar to G. aurantiaca, G. rubra and G. radicalis by the flowers spreading in all directions from an erect flowering shoot but differs from all of these by the labellum being incised only halfway from apex (not deeply or completely divided), and having a smooth and glabrous surface to the ovary and globose fruits (Table 2).
Etymology: The epithet refers to the shape of the fruit.
Nurainas Nurainas, Witri Zulaspita, Thoriq Alfath Febriamansyah, Syamsuardi Syamsuardi and Axel Dalberg Poulsen. 2024. A Recircumscription of Geocharis (Zingiberaceae) as A Result of the Discovery of A New Species in Sumatra, Indonesia. PhytoKeys 244: 15-22. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.244.119306