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| Meiogyne konkakinhensis B.H.Quang & Tagane, in Quang, Tagane, Nagahama, Fujiwara, Yoneoka, Binh et Oguri, 2024. |
Meiogyne Miquel (1865: 12; Annonaceae), with 33–39 species, are trees or shrubs characterised by distinctive corrugated grooved structure at the base of the adaxial surface of the inner petals, axillary or sometimes cauliflorous flowers and oblong multi-seeded indehiscent monocarps (van Heusden 1994, Johnson et al. 2019, Jaikhamseub et al. 2022). The species are collectively distributed in southern India, southern Central China, Southeast Asia, Australia, Melanesia and western Polynesia (van Heusden 1994, Thomas et al. 2012, POWO 2024). In Vietnam, six species of Meiogyne are known (Bân 2000, Jaikhamseub et al. 2022): M. monogyna (Merrill 1942: 163) Bân (1974: 1778), M. subsessilis (Ast 1938: 90) Sinclair (1956: 14), M. hainanensis (Merrill 1925: 131) Bân (1973: 1148), M. rubra Jaikhamseub, Damth. & Chaowasku in Jaikhamseub et al. (2022: 223), M. virgata (Blume 1825: 14) Miquel (1865: 12) and M. vietnamica Jaikhamseub, T.A.Le & Chaowasku in Jaikhamseub et al. (2022: 225), although Jaikhamseub et al. (2022) excluded M. virgata because they could not confirm any Vietnamese specimens.
During our botanical expedition in Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Gia Lai Province, Central Highland, Vietnam, in 2022, we encountered an unknown species of Meiogyne in primary broad-leaved evergreen forests. After a careful examination of the literature of the genus in Vietnam and surrounding countries (Ast 1938, Bân 2000, van Heusden 1994, Johnson et al. 2019, Jaikhamseub et al. 2022) and herbarium specimens including digitised images from FOF, FU, HN, K, KAG, MAK, P and VNM, we concluded that it was an undescribed species, and we here describe it as new to science.
Flora, Indochina, endemic species, Magnoliales, taxonomy, plant diversity, Magnoliids
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| Meiogyne konkakinhensis. A. Flowering branch, view from underneath. B. Flowering branch after anthesis. C. Flower, front view. D. Flower after anthesis, side view. E, F. Fruiting branches, with one monocarp. Photos of Oguri et al. Q362 when it was alive, taken by B.H. Quang. |
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| Meiogyne konkakinhensis. A. Flowers, front view, at early stage of anthesis (left), late stage of anthesis (right). B. Outer petals, adaxial (right) and abaxial (left) surfaces. C. Inner petals, adaxial (left) and abaxial (right). D. Flower, bottom view. E. Flower with petals removed showing sepals, stamens and stigmas. F. Sepals, abaxial (left) and adaxial (right) sides. G. Stamens, carpels. H. Stamens. I. Carpels. Photos of Oguri et al. Q362 when it was alive, taken by B.H. Quang. |
Meiogyne konkakinhensis B.H.Quang & Tagane, sp. nov.
The new species is similar to Meiogyne rubra in its relatively small leaf size and reddish purple petals at maturity, but it is easily distinguished by yellowish brown hairy midrib on the adaxial surface of lamina (glabrous in M. rubra), smaller petals (outer petals 8.0–18.0 × 5.0–8.0 mm, inner petals 7.0–16.0 × 3.1–7.0 mm vs. 30.0–33.0 × 7.5–10.0 mm and 26.5–30.5 × 7.0–8.0 mm), and fewer and smaller stamens (76–80, 1.0–1.4 mm long vs. ca. 118, 1.5–2.2 mm long), fewer carpels (7–9 vs. 10–11) and more ovules per ovary (7–8 vs. 4).
Etymology:—Named for the Kon Ka Kinh National Park.
Vernacular name:—Thiểu nhụy kon ka kinh (Vietnamese).
Bui Hong Quang, Shuichiro Tagane, Ai Nagahama, Tao Fujiwara, Katsuhiro Yoneoka, Tran Duc Binh and Emiko Oguri. 2024. Meiogyne konkakinhensis (Annonaceae), A New Species from the central highlands of Vietnam. Phytotaxa. 652(1); 78-82. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.652.1.7
