Research Article |
Nurainas Nurainas‡, Witri Zulaspita‡, Thoriq Alfath Febriamansyah‡, Syamsuardi Syamsuardi‡, Axel Dalberg Poulsen§
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Corresponding author: Nurainas Nurainas ( nurainas@sci.unand.ac.id ) Academic editor: Vinita Gowda
© 2024 Nurainas Nurainas, Witri Zulaspita, Thoriq Alfath Febriamansyah, Syamsuardi Syamsuardi, Axel Dalberg Poulsen.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Nurainas N, Zulaspita W, Febriamansyah TA, Syamsuardi S, Poulsen AD (2024) A recircumscription of Geocharis (Zingiberaceae) as a result of the discovery of a new species in Sumatra, Indonesia. PhytoKeys 244: 15-22. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.244.119306
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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
Introduction
The ginger genus Geocharis (K.Schum.) Ridl. (
| Species | Distribution |
|---|---|
| G. aurantiaca Ridl. | Peninsula Malaysia |
| G. fusiformis var. fusiformis | Philippines |
| G. fusiformis var. borneensis R.M.Sm. | Borneo |
| G. macrostemon (K.Schum.) Holttum | Sumatra |
| G. radicalis (Valeton) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm. | Sumatra |
| G. rubra var rubra | Borneo |
| G. rubra var. puberula Meekiong | Borneo |
| G. secundiflora (Ridl.) Holttum | Peninsular Malaysia |
Two species of Geocharis occur in Sumatra, G. macrostemon and G. radicalis (Valeton) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm., of which only a few collections have been made (
Geocharis radicalis was collected by Lörzing (Lörzing 5912) in the forest at 1000 m elevation near Deli, North Sumatra.
During our fieldwork conducted in Sumatra since 2020, collections of Geocharis were made at Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, which differed from the two known Sumatran species mentioned above. Comparisons made to all known species of the genus, also did not result in a match.
Materials and methods
We examined collections deposited at several herbaria (ANDA, BO, E, FI, K, L, KEP, SAN, SING), as well as and high-resolution photographs of specimens (herbarium abbreviations follow
Morphological descriptions were primarily obtained from living material collected in the field. Fertile material was preserved in spirit while other parts were dried and pressed for the herbaria. Detail characters were observed using a stereomicroscope. The measurements were made using a ruler and image-J software. The distribution map was based on existing records as a guideline. Terminology follows
Results
The recently collected material is clearly a species of Geocharis due to the distinct pattern of the leaf sheath, the narrow and incised labellum and the broad and toothed filament formed by fusion with the lateral staminodes. The smooth, glabrous and globose fruits are unlike any known species and below we update a circumscription of the genus as well as describe the new species.
Taxonomic treatment
Geocharis
Alpinia Sect. Geocharis K.Schum., Pflanzenr. IV, 46 (1904) 363.
Type
Geocharis macrostemon (K.Schum.) Holttum (designated by
Description
Terrestrial herb with creeping rhizome, rhizome scales tessellate (with markings in squares) similar to the sheath. The leafy shoot of medium height. Sheath with remarkable white-felted cross-bars between the longitudinal ribs. Flowering shoots radical; peduncle long-prostrate, ascending or erect, with cross-barred sheaths, rachis ± curved with many flowers spreading evenly in all directions or secund. Inflorescence lax, bracts never imbricate, ± soon falling off, subtending at least two flowers in the lowermost bracts. Bracteole tubular at least at the very base. Flowers orange to red, shortly pedicellate. Calyx tubular, trilobed, apices toothed. Floral tube as long as calyx or longer. Dorsal corolla lobe larger than the laterals, enclosing the filament. Staminal tube (formed by fusion of labellum and filament) present above insertion of corolla lobes. Labellum narrow, deeply bilobed, incised in upper half or to base, lobes ± linear. Staminodes fused with filament forming a semi-tube broader than anther, apices tooth-like just below the anther. Anther oblong, crest entire, cucullate; thecae parallel, dehiscing through their entire length. Ovary globose to ellipsoid. Epigynous gland short. Stigma obcuneate. Fruit globose to elongate, smooth or ridged, often warty, glabrous or pubescent, base of calyx persistent. Seeds angular, arillate.
Etymology
The name means ground (geo) beauty (charis).
Distribution
The genus Geocharis occurs in Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, Sabah, and the Philippines (Fig.
Note
Geocharis globosa , 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
A comparison of species of Geocharis with an erect flowering shoot and flowers pointing in all directions (not secund).
| Character | G. aurantiaca | G. globosa | G. radicalis | G. rubra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labellum incision | Deeply bilobed | Halfway | Split to base | Deeply bilobed |
| Fruit shape | Ellipsoid | Globose (to ellipsoid) | – | Ellipsoid |
| Fruit macrostructure | – | Smooth | – | Ridged and grooved |
| Fruit surface | Verrucose | Smooth | Verrucose | Rugose |
Type
Indonesia. West Sumatera province, Tanah Datar District, Andaleh village, 0°26'38.96"N, 100°27'20.41"E, 1149 m elevation, 26 March 2022, Witri Zulaspita et al. WZ29 (Holotype ANDA; isotype SING).
Description
Terrestrial, evergreen herb, forming clumps of 3–5 leafy shoots. Rhizome subterranean, 0.5–1.0 cm diam., aromatic; scales triangular, 4–6 × 2.5–3 cm, longitudinally ribbed, pale red with whitish green when fresh, pale brown when dry, lanate. Leafy shoots 2–2.5 m tall, 8–21 leaves per shoot, 13–15 cm apart; base 3.0–3.5 cm diam., bright pink; sheath dark green with irregular small horizontal white bars joining the longitudinal ribs, pubescent; ligule shortly bilobed, to 1.5 cm long, dark green, tomentose; petiole canaliculate, 1.0–1.5 cm long, green, glabrous; lamina narrowly ovate to oblong-elliptic, 48–58 × 9–10 cm, green adaxially and pale green abaxially, longitudinal ribbed, puberulent above, pubescent abaxially at margin, base attenuate, margin entire, apex caudate (1.5–2 cm long). Flowering shoot arising from rhizome, 10–14 cm distance from the base of the leafy shoot, ascending to erect, 10–25 cm long with 10–45 flowers distributed evenly in all directions, 5–15 flowers open at a time, rachis 7–15 long; peduncle 3–8 × 0.5 cm, red, glabrous; peduncular bract broadly ovate, 1.5–3 × 1–1.5 cm, pale red with irregular small horizontal white bars joining the longitudinal ribs, apex subapically mucronate; floral bract soon falling off, narrowly elliptic, 5–9.5 × 2.0–3.5 cm, reddish-brown, glabrous, subapically mucronate. Bracteole narrowly elliptic, slit to base on one side, 5–7 mm long, transparent, caducous, apex irregularly bilobed, glabrous. Flower slender, 5–6 cm long; flowering pedicel 0.5–2 cm long, red, glabrous; calyx tubular, 2.0–2.5 × 0.5 cm, trilobed, puberulent, red; corolla tube 2.0–2.5 × 0.3 cm, bright pink, hirsute; dorsal corolla lobe oblong-elliptic, 1.5–2.0 × 0.5 cm, apex rounded, yellowish to red, glabrous, lateral corolla lobes oblong-elliptic, 1.5 cm × 0.3 cm, apex rounded, yellowish-red, glabrous; staminal tube ca. 5 mm long; labellum linear, bilobed, split half from apex, 10–15 × 4–5 mm, crimson with yellow edges, apex obtuse, glabrous; stamen 23–28 mm, reddish yellow, glabrous; filament 18–22 × 6–10 mm (incl. fusion with staminodes) free part 2–3 mm long, flattened, lateral staminodes tooth-like, ca. 2 mm long, pale violet, glabrous; anther 5–6 × 3–4 mm, white, puberulent, thecae, dehiscent through their entire length, pubescent; anther crest rounded, c. 1 mm long, slightly trilobed, dark-red, glabrous; ovary globose, 7 × 7 mm, smooth, red, puberulent; epigynous gland bipartite, rounded, 2 × 2 mm, yellowish, glabrous; style c. 5.5 cm long, pinkish white, setose; stigma clavate (with a lateral knob), pinkish white, ostiole apical, semi-circular, 0.5 mm across, margin ciliate. Fruit globose to slightly ellipsoid, 2–4 × 2–3 cm, reddish-orange, glabrous. Seeds irregular, ca. 6 × 5 mm (immature), aril white.
Distribution and habitat
Endemic to Sumatra and known only from the type locality (Mt. Marapi, West Sumatra). Montane forest, moist forest understorey.
Phenology
Flowering in March to June and fruiting in July to September.
Etymology
The epithet refers to the shape of the fruit.
Conservation status and preliminary IUCN Red List assessment
G. globosa is only known from the type locality of Mt Marapi, Andaleh, West Sumatra. The population of G. globosa has so far only been found at Andaleh in the border zone between Mount Merapi Nature Park and local agricultural areas. Following the
Additional specimens examined (paratypes)
Indonesia. Sumatra. West Sumatra province, Tanah Datar District, Andaleh village, 0.442992756°S, 100.4552318°E, 1149 m elev., 2 July 2022. fruiting, W. Zulaspita et al. WZ30 (ANDA); Tanah Datar District, Andaleh village, 0.442119833°S, 100.4542314°E, 1149 m elev, 2 July 2022, fruiting, W. Zulaspita et al. WZ31 (ANDA); Tanah Datar District, Andaleh village, 0.440810449°S, 100.4549408°E, 1149 m elev., 30 July 2022, fruiting, W. Zulaspita et al. WZ32 (ANDA); Tanah Datar District, Singgalang village, Trails to Mount Tandikek, 0.449753522°S, 100.3396321°E, 1195 m elev., 24 September 2023, flowering and fruiting.
Notes
Geocharis globosa is easily recognized by the completely smooth fruits, which are unlike any other known species of the genus. In Sumatra, it is most similar with G. radicalis that also has an erect flowering shoot with flowers pointing in all directions.
Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of any vegetative characters, especially the ligule and petiole. The importance of pickled flowers and fruits must again be emphasized as previously pointed out by
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Panji C., Faradila S., Al Aziz, and the local community in Nagari Andaleh for their help and facilitation in the field. We are grateful to Rudolph V.A. Docot for sharing his knowledge on the distribution of Geocharis in the Philippines, and Yen Yen Sam and Chea Yiing Ling for their support to obtain a better understanding of the morphology of species of Geocharis in Malaysia. A.D. Poulsen is supported by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is supported by the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services Division.
Additional information
Conflict of interest
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Ethical statement
No ethical statement was reported.
Funding
This research was funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia for Nurainas through the Research for Master Students (PTM) with the contract number 086/E5/PG.02.00.PT/2022 and Fundamental Research Grant (115/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2023, contract: 111/UN16.19/PT.01.03/2023).
Author contributions
Conceptualization: NN. Supervision: SS, ADP. Visualization: TAF. Writing – original draft: WZ.
Author ORCIDs
Nurainas Nurainas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1682-2976
Witri Zulaspita https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0820-9872
Thoriq Alfath Febriamansyah https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6684-9573
Syamsuardi Syamsuardi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8351-6528
Axel Dalberg Poulsen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7651-6439
Data availability
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.
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