Tuesday, October 8, 2024

[Botany • 2024] Microchirita radiata, M. simia, etc. • Four New Species of Microchirita (Gesneriaceae: Didymocarpoideae) from Thailand


หยาดอรทัย Microchirita orathaiae Suddee, D.J.Middleton, Tetsana & Puudjaa;
หยาดพระโพธิสัตว์ M. radiata D.J.Middleton, Daonurai, Poompayak & Suddee;
หยาดวานรพักตร์ M. simia D.J.Middleton, Thananth., Tetsana & Suddee

in Middleton, Tetsana, Puudja, Thananthaisong, Daonurai, Poompayak et Suddee, 2024. 

Abstract
Four new species of Microchirita (Gesneriaceae) from Thailand are described: Microchirita orothaiae, M. puglisiae, M. radiata and M. simia. With the addition of these species, 41 species are now recorded for Thailand.

Keywords: endemic, karst limestone, Microchirita purpurea, M. tubulosa, taxonomy

Microchirita orathaiae Suddee, D.J.Middleton, Tetsana & Puudjaa:
A. Habit; B. Inflorescence; C. Flower, front view; D. Flower, back view.
 Photos by Naiyana Tetsana. 

Microchirita orathaiae Suddee, D.J.Middleton,Tetsana & Puudjaa, sp. nov.

Similar to Microchirita purpurea D.J.Middleton & Triboun in general appearance but differs in the corolla tube pale yellow at the very base inside, dark bluish purple ventrally, somewhat dorsoventrally compressed making corolla mouth wider than high, lateral lobes strongly reflexed (dark purple throughoutor only slightly paler inside at base, not or only slightly dorsoventrally compressed with the corolla mouth mostly as wide as high, lateral lobes erect, not reflexed in M. purpurea) and anthers glabrous (anthers densely long pubescent near junction of upper anther locules and filaments in M. purpurea). 
Type: Thailand, Rayong, Khao Chamao District, ...

Etymology.— The specific epithet is given in honour of the botanical artist Mrs Orathai Kerdkaew, a long-time staff member at BKF.
Vernacular.— Yat o ra thai (หยาดอรทัย) (proposedhere).

Microchirita puglisiae D.J.Middleton, Daonurai, Poompayak & Suddee:
A. Habit; B. Inflorescences; C. Flower, side view; D. Flower, front view.
Photos by Kerkwit Poompayak.

Microchirita puglisiae D.J.Middleton, Daonurai, Poompayak & Suddee, sp. nov.

Differs from all other Microchirita species in the combination of densely tomentose leaves, few-flowered inflorescences, white corolla lobes and narrow corolla tube flaring gradually towards the mouth. 

Type: Thailand, Saraburi, Phra Phutthabat District, ...

Etymology.— The specific epithet is given in honour of Dr Carmen Puglisi (MO) for her contribu-tion to the taxonomy of Thai Gesneriaceae, including in the genus Microchirita.
Vernacular.— Yat tham kra bok (หยาดถ้ำกระบอก) (proposed here).

Microchirita radiata D.J.Middleton, Daonurai, Poompayak & Suddee:
A. Habit; B. Inflorescence; C. Flower, front view; D. Flower, side view.
Photos by Kerkwit Poompayak.
 
Microchirita radiata D.J.Middleton, Daonurai, Poompayak & Suddee, sp. nov.

Similar to Microchirita tubulosa (Craib) A.Weber & D.J.Middleton in general appearance and the large primarily white flowers but differs in the corolla tube orange inside, darker orange ventrally, with many radial brown lines dorsally and ventrally (white or very pale yellow inside, yellow ventrally, without brown lines or these only either side of yellow ventral stripe or rarely with additional very pale lines or dots ventrally in M. tubulosa) and the glabrous anthers (densely white pubescent in M. tubulosa). 

Type: Thailand, Saraburi, Kaeng Khoi District, ...

Etymology.— The specific epithet refers to the brown lines radiating from the narrow part of the tube into the widened upper tube.
Vernacular.— Yat phra pho thi sat (หยาดพระโพธิสัตว์) (proposed here).

Microchirita simia D.J.Middleton, Thananth., Tetsana & Suddee:
A. Habit; B. Flower, side view; C. Flower, front view with purple bar on lower lip; D. Flower, front view without purple bar on lower lip.
Photos by Naiyana Tetsana.

M. simia D.J.Middleton, Thananth., Tetsana & Suddee, sp. nov.

Similar to Microchirita purpurea D.J.Middleton & Triboun in the shape and size of the corolla but differs in the distinctive bright yellow and purple corollas (purple throughout in M. purpurea) and glabrous stamens (hairy at filament insertion in M. purpurea). 

Type: Thailand, Lop Buri, ...
 
Etymology.— The specific epithet is Latin for monkey, in reference to the monkey-like face when viewing the corolla from the front.
Vernacular.— Yat wa non pak (หยาดวานรพักตร์) (proposed here).


David Middleton, Naiyana Tetsana, Pachok Puudja, Theerawat Thananthaisong, Kunanon Daonurai, Kerkwit Poompayak and Somran Suddee. 2024. Four more New Species of Microchirita (Gesneriaceae: Didymocarpoideae) from Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany). 52(2), 80–88. DOI: doi.org/10.20531/tfb.2024.52.2.11