Nordic Journal of Botany

Further studies in the genus Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) in

Thailand with the description of two new species

Kai Larsen, Piyakaset Suksathan and Pramote Triboun

Larsen, K., Suksathan, I? & Triboun, I? 2005. Further studies in the genus
Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) in Thailand with the description of two new
species. - Nord. J. Bot. 23: 401-406. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107-055X.

Two new species of Caulohempferia from Thailand, C. amplexicaule and C.

pedemontana are described and illustrated. The biogeography and the diversity of
the genus are discussed.

F! Triboun, Department of Biologv, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon

Kaen 40002. Thailand. - K. Larsen & F! Suksathan, Department of Systematic
Botany, University of Aarhus, The Herbarium, Building 13 7, Universitetsparken,
DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

Introduction Diagnosis: Caulokaempferia amplexicaulis P.

In a recent paper Larsen (2003)'described three new
species of Caulokaempferia from Thailand. Since
then, another new species from Thailand, C. larsenii
was described by Suksathan & Triboun (2004).
During the rainy season 2003 the second and third
author have done hrther field work in connection
with revisions for Flora of Thailand of the family
Marantaceae and the genus Zingiber. Several bota-
nically poorly explored mountain areas, particularly
in northern Thailand, were visited and two unde-
scribed species af Caulokaempferia were discovered.
The new species
1. Caulokaempferia amplexicaule P. Suksathan
Type: M. Wongnak et al 705, Thailand, Mae Hong
Son Province, Doi Hua Kai-Doi Pui, Muang District,
exposed granite rock on mountain ridge, alt. c. 1770
m. 25. 7. 2003 (QBG holotype, M U , BKF, E, K, US
isotypes).
Suksathan sp. nov. C. larsenii P. Suksathan & P.
Triboun affinis a qua differt foliis amplexicaulibus,
ligula carenti, bracteis foliifonnibus, floribus soli-
tariis in axillis bractearum, lob0 dorsali corollae in
apice spinifonni 1.3 mm longo producto, stylo inter
antheris inserto. - Figg. 1-2.
Herb with short rhizome and vigorous,
spindleshaped storage roots c. 2 mm in diameter.
Pseudostem erect, 12-35 cm, 3-5 mm in diameter.
Leaves (3-) 4-6 (-7); lamina narrowly cordate,
longest towards apex, (4.0-) 5.2-7.0 by 1.7-2.0 cm,
lowermost 3 4 strongly reduced: from only a leaf
sheath to an amplexicaul rim, towards the in-
florescence enlarged; lamina sessile with cordate,
amplexicaul base; apex acute to acuminate; glabrous
on both sides; leaf sheaths completely hsed
throughout the length, glabrous; ligule absent.
Inflorescence erect 5.1-13.0 cm long. Bracts
distichous, leaf-like, (3-) 6-10 (-12), sheath slightly
to deeply split throughout the length, lamina lanc-
eolate to narrowly lanceolate, lowermost bract the
longest, 4.8-6.0 by 1.0-1.4 cm, following bracts

Accepted 20-9-2004

Nmd. J. Bot. 23(4)

401
Fig. 1. Caulokaempferia amplexicaulis. - The type locality.

402 Nord. 1. Bot. 23(4)

diminishing towards apex ending with 1-2 sterile
terminal bract(s) of 4.0-7.0 by 1.2-2.5 cm; bracteole
lanceolate, apex rounded, 13 by 2.4 mm. Each bract
subtends one yellow flower. Ovary glabrous, c. 5 mm
long. Calyx tubular, 1.5-2.4 cm long 2.5-3 mm in
diameter, split down on one side c. 1/6 of the length,
apex 3-4-dentate. Corolla tube 3.5-4.0 cm long, 2
mm in diameter, dorsal corolla lobe oblong, c. 16 by
6 mm, hooded, with apex produced into a thorn-like,
c. 1.3 mm long point; lateral corolla lobes narrowly
obovate, c. 16 by 5 mm, apex slightly emaginate.
Labellum suborbicular to depressed obovate with
wavy margin, 3.0-3.5 by 4.0-5.5 cm. Filament short,
c. 1 mm long; anther panduriform, c. 3.8 by 2.6 mm;
anther crest recurved, elliptic to widely ovate, c. 6.0
by 4.4 mm; stylodial glands spherical, c. 0.4 mm;
style inserted between anther sacs; stigma shallowly
obtriangular, c. 4.8 mm wide with ciliate margin.
Fruits a unilocular, fleshy capsule, yellowish-green,
ellipsoid, glabrous, c. 1.7 by 0.5 cm, opening by a
wide, oval slit. Seeds dark brown, ovoid, c. 3.5 by
1.5 mm, completely covered with fine longitudinal
epidermal cells, aril absent. - Figs 1-2.
Additional specimens examined All from the type
locality. Suksathan 2819, 22 October 2000 (QBG).
Notes: This species is in many ways deviating from
all other yellow-flowered species. First of all the
habit is striking with the oblanceolate outline of the
plant. The closed leaf sheaths is a character not
usually found in the Zingiberaceae; .and the lack of
ligule has not been observed in other species of
Caulokaempferia. The habitat is unusual as well, as
it is open, rocky ground on an exposed mountain
slope. Only one population of several hundreds of
specimens were observed. A large area covering
several square kilometers of open land were
searched, but in no other place the species was
found.
2. Caulokaempferia pedemontana P. Triboun
& K Larsen
Type: K . Larsen, S . S . Larsen, Chr. Tange, C.
Niyomdham 43774, Thailand, Nakon Nayok
Province, Nang Rong Falls, among rock near stream,
alt. c. 300 m, 4. Aug. 1992 (AAU holotype, BK
isotype).
Diagnosis: Caulokaempferia pedemontana P. Tri-
boun & K. Larsen sp. nov. C. saxicolaeK. Larsen
affinis a qua differt statura major,, f o l k longioribus,
floribus majoribus, labello irregulariter trilobato,
Nord. 1. Bot. 23(4)
crista antherae reniformi reflexa, seminibus anguste
ellipsoideis cum arillo tenui fimbriato et funiculo
longo filiformi. - Fig. 3.
Herb with short rhizome and few storage roots.
Pseudostem curved downwards, 15-25 cm. Leaves 8-
10, the 2-3 lowermost with reduced lamina, upper
ones with lamina subsessile to shortly pedicellate,
pedicel up to 5 mm; lamina lanceolate, increasing in
size towards the inflorescence, (9-) 12-18 by (1.8-)
2.4-2.7 cm, caudate or long attenuate, glabrous on
both sides, base tapering towards the pedicel; upper
surface with 5-6 deeply impressed longitudinal
veins. Ligule entire, deltoid, c. 5 mm long, apex
acute or subtruncate. Flowers yellow. Inflorescence
3-5 cm long, slightly curced. Bracts ovate oblong,
margin entire, revolute, 20-30 by 7-10 mm to c. 1.8
by 0.8 cm (upper ones), apex acuminate. Bracteoles
lanceolate to broadly ovate with rounded apex, c. 7
by 5 mm. Ovary c. 5 by 2 mm, glabrous. Calyx
tubular, 9-10 mm long, glabrous, split down one side
3-4 mm, apex bi- or tridentate. Corolla tube c. 2.7
cm, glabrous; dorsal corolla lobe 9.5-10 by 4-4.5
mm, apex hooded, acuminate; lateral corolla lobes 9-
10 by 3.5 mm. Labellum irregullary 3-lobed, mid-
lobe 18 by 16 mm, with emarginate apex; lateral
lobes wavy, 12-14 by 7-9 mm. Filament 1-1.5 mm;
anther 2.5-3 mm, anther sacs joined at base, from the
middle divided in a V; anther crest reniform,
reflexed, 2.5-3 by 5 mm; stylodial glands cylindric,
c. 1 mm, blunt; stigma placed between the anther
sacs, broadly urceolate, c. 3 mm wide. Fruit a
unilocular, ellipsoid, fleshy capsule, slightly curved,
c. 20 mm long. Seeds finely pubescent, narrowly
ellipsoid c 1.5 mm drawn out into a c 2.5 mm long
funicle; aril thin, fringed, c. 1 mm. - Fig. 3.
Additional specimen examined: All from the type
locality. Larsen, Santisuk & Warncke 3368, 13. 8.
1968 (AAU,BKF,E); Maxwell 75-705, 18. 7. 1975
(AAU); P. Triboun 1467, 21. 7. 2003 (BK).
Note: Larsen (2003) discussed the dispersal mode of
the genus and drew attention to the seeds of most of
the yellow flowered species are densely covered by a
fine indumentum of soft hairs, which is able to retain
air and thus keeps the seeds floating and enables
them to spread by streams in the rainy season. As an
example C. saxicola, an endemism described from
the Khao Yai summit at an altitude at about 1100-
1400 m was mentioned, as it also occurs at the base
of the mountain massif. After the collection of more
material from the foothills it is, however, now evi-
dent that the foothill population in so many cha-
racters deviates from C. saxicola, that we have to
403
Fig. 2. Caulokaempferia amplexicaulis. - A. Habit; B. Anther with stigma and crest seen from front and back side; C. Flower
seen from front and back; D. Ovary with calyx; E. Bract; F. Seed.. - Del. P. Suksathan.

404 Nord. 1. Bot. 23(4)

Fig. 3. Caulokaempferia pedemontana. - A. Habit; B. Inflorescence; C . Ovary with calyx; D. Anther with stigma and crest seen
from front and back side; E. Flower seen from front and back; F. Bract; G . Seed. - Del. P. Suksathan

Nord. J. Bot. 23(4) 405

recognize this population, found at an altitude from
150-300 m, as a distinct species and not plants
dispersed by streams from the summit.
Discussion
Few other genera of Zingiberaceae have received so
much attention in recent years as Caulokaempferia.
Kress et al. (2002) discuss its phylogenetic position,
but due to insufficient material it was not possible to
place it with any certainty in the new system pre-
sented by the authors. Therefore it was provisionally
treated as incerta sedis. It is, however, clear from the
preliminary molecular studies that the yellow-
flowered species form a group clearly separated from
the white- to violet-flowered species. This last group,
deviating in the general habit, fruit and seed
characters and placentation (see Larsen 2003), will
most certainly, when the molecular study in progress
by Kress, Larsen and Williams is completed, be
established as a separate genus perhaps related to
Boesenbergia (K. J. Williams pers. comm.).
The yellow-flowered species are subsequently
treated as Caulokaempferia s. str. as the generic type
species C. linearis (Wall.) K. Larsen belongs here.
The distribution ranges from N. India (Assam,
Sikkim, Darjeeling, Khasia Hills), Bhutan,
Bangladesh and Myanmar to China (Yunnan),
Thailand, Laos and N Vietnam. From Bangladesh we
are aware of one undescribed species. . From
Myanmar, C. secunda was reported by Larsen
(1964); two undescribed species from the border
region between Myanmar and China have been
collected by George Forrest but unfortunately the
material is rather incomplete and we hesitate to
describe them. The genus should be looked for in
that mountainous region.
The genus is usually found at altitudes between
800-1500 m, exceptions are the new species C.
pedemontana, found at low altitudes but occupying
the same ecological niche as its montane relatives,
and, the most southernly species, C. saksuwaniae
from Peninsular Thailand which is also a lowland
species but, as its more northernly relatives also
inhabiting rocks in streams under ombromorphic
conditions. The typical substratum for most of the
species is thus wet rocks or steep mountain sides
where the plants grow among mosses and ferns.
There are exceptions as the here described C.
406
amplexicaulis and C. larsenii which are found in
open, wet grassland in a.plant community similar to
that where some of the white- and violet-flowered
species occur. We have not undertaken any analysis
of the soil but from the general knowledge on the
plant community in which the species are found the
genus must be regarded as acidiphilous. Still, our
knowledge about the ecology and general biology
of the genus is very incomplete.
Among the characters distinguishing the species,
the leaf-sheath and ligule are important. It was with
great astonishment that we found C. amplexicaulis
having closed leaf-sheaths. This has not been
observed in other species in the genus and is rare in
the Zingiberaceae. Only, as far as we are aware, in
AEpinia and related genera the sheaths are, in some
species, closed at base. Ligule may be present or
absent. In all yellow-flowered species, in which
mature fruits have been found, the fleshy capsule is
unilocular and dehishing by a broad, apical length
slit or window through which the numerous, small
seeds are dispersed. The seeds show a great diversity
from arillate to exarillate, and from glabrous to
densely pubescent. Again C. amplexicaulis is unique
in having seeds with a glabrous testa composed of
strongly marked, longitudinal epidermal cells.
The genus is still in need of a comprehensive
morphological study. Local botanists are strongly
encouraged to help in obtaining material for such
studies and well as material for the planned
molecular work.
Acknowledgements - Thanks to Benjamin 0llgaard
for latinizing the diagnosis and to the Carlsberg
Foundation for support to illustrate the article.
References
Kress, W. J., Price, L. M. & Williams, K. J. 2002. The
phylogeny and a new classification of Gingers
(Zingiberaceae: Evidence from molecular data). - Am. J.
Bot. 89: 1682-1696.
Larsen, K. 1964. Studies on Zingiberaceae V, Caulo-
kaempferia, a new genus. - Bot. Tidsskr. 60: 165-179.
- 2003. Three new species of Caulokaempferia (Zingi-
beraceae) from Thailand with a discussion of the generic
diversity. - Nord. J. Bot. 22: 409-417.
Suksathan, P. & Triboun, P. 2004. A new species of
Caulokaempferia (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand. -
Edinburgh J. Bot. 60: 513-516.
Nord. J €301 23(4)