The Japanese Society for Plant Systematics ISSN 1346-7565 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 66 (3): 197–200 (2015) Short CommuniCation First Record of Cremastra Lindl. (Orchidaceae) in Myanmar Santi Watthana1, Kazumi FujiKaWa2,* and Kittiphong KertSaWang1 1Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, The Botanical Garden Organization P.O. Box 7 Mae Rim, Chiang Mai 50180, Thailand; 2The Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden 4200-6 Godaisan, Kochi 781-8125, Japan. *[email protected] (author for correspondence) Cremastra Lindl. was recently discovered in western Myanmar, a new generic record for the country. The Myanmar specimens are referred to a variety of the widespread species, C. appendiculata (D. Don) Makino var. appendiculata. Key words: Cremastra, flora of Myanmar, Orchidaceae Cremastra Lindl. (Orchidaceae) is terrestrial appendiculata (D. Don) Makino var. appendicu- herb with an underground pseudobulb and a rac- lata, which is characterized by having a wingless emose inflorescence arising directly from apex of column and a large verrucose process on the mid- the pseudobulb. The genus is distributed from the lobe of the labellum (Fig. 1, 2). Here we provide a Russian Far East to Indochina and eastern Asia. description of the variety based on material from According to recent taxonomic treatments and re- Myanmar. Specimens are deposited at MBK (Ko- ports (Lund 1987, Chen et al. 2009, Govaerts et chi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden) and at al. 2015, Hu et al. 2013) four or five species are the office of Natma Taung National Park, Nature recognized. While undertaking fieldwork in Nat- and Wildlife Conservation Division, Forest De- ma Taung National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, partment, Kanpetlet, Chin State, Myanmar. we found three individuals of a flowering terres- trial orchid growing on a slope by a roadside in an evergreen forest between 2,340 – 2,710 m above Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino in sea level. We recognized it as member of the ge- Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 18: 24. 1904; Lund, Nord. J. nus Cremastra. Subsequent studies revealed that Bot. 8(2): 199. 1987; N. Pearce & P. J. Cribb, Fl. Cremastra had not been reported to occur in Bhutan 3(3): 237. 2002; S. C. Chen et al. in Z. Y. Myanmar (Kress et al. 2003, Govaerts et al. 2015, Wu et al. (eds), Fl. China 25: 249. 2009.— H. Kurzweil pers. comm., H. Æ. Pedersen pers. Cymbidium appendiculatum D. Don, Prodr. Fl. comm., P. Ormerod pers. comm.). Nepal.: 36. 1825.—Cremastra wallichiana Lindl., Our collections from Myanmar have ovoid Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 173. 1833, nom. superfl. Ty- pseudobulbs, pale pinkish brown flowers and an pus. Nepal, Wallich s.n., Wall. Cat. 7349 p.p. elongate callus on the lip (Fig. 1, 2). Using recent (Lectotype, designated by Lund, Nord. J. Bot. orchid treatments (particularly Lund 1987, Pearce 8(2): 199. 1987: W; isolectotypes: BM, K-LINDL!, & Cribb 2002, Chen et al. 2009), we were able to K-W). Cremastra triloba Hayata, Icon. Pl. For- positively identify our collections as Cremastra mosan. 2: 135. 1912.—C. appendiculata (D.Don) NII-Electronic Library Service The Japanese Society for Plant Systematics 198 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. Vol. 66 Fig. 1. Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino var. appendiculata. A. flower. B. column. C. lip. All drawn by S. Watthana from a spirit collection (K. Fujikawa et al. 089099, MBK). Makino var. triloba (Hayata) Ying, Chinese acute; disk with fleshy callus at base of mid-lobe; Flowers. 4. t. 3. 1976. Typus. Taiwan, Mt. Nashi- callus ca. 3 mm in diameter, verruculose. Column tanzan, Mt. Rontabunzan, Jiogesha, U. Mori s.n., 25–27 mm long, slender, without narrow ventral Apr. 1910 (TAIF image!, TI!). wings below anther, apex slightly dilated. Anther ca. 2.2 mm long, ca. 3 mm wide, pollinia 4, ellip- soid, ca. 1.8 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; stipe ob- var. appendiculata long, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 1.1 mm wide; viscidi- Herbs 30-40 cm tall. Pseudobulb ovoid, 1.5–3 um triangular, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. cm long, 2–3 cm wide, 2- to 3-noded. Leaf 1; pet- Capsules not seen. Flowers: May. (Figure 1, 2) iole 7–10 cm long; blade narrowly elliptic to nar- Distribution. Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, rowly oblanceolate-elliptic, 25–30 cm long, 4–6 Sikkim, Taiwan. cm wide, mainly 3-veined, base subcuneate, apex Ecology. Moist places in evergreen forest. acuminate. Inflorescence 25–30 cm long; rachis 10–15 cm long, subdensely ca. 7-flowered; floral Specimens examined. myanmar; Chin State, roadside between 6 and 10 miles from entrance of Natma Taung bracts lanceolate, 5–7 mm long; pedicel and ova- National Park, Natma Taung National Park, 21°12′ –21°13′ ry 4.8–5.2 mm long. Flowers pendulous, not N, 94°00′ –93°56′ E, 2,340–2,710 m alt., K. Fujikawa, S. opening widely, pale pinkish brown or pink; pet- Watthana, K. Kertsawang, Tin Mya Soe, Myint Hlaing, als and lip with darker tint. Sepals narrowly ob- Ling Shein Man & Law Shine 089099 (MBK, spirit col- lanceolate, 28–33.5 mm long, 3.2–4.5 mm wide, lection); roadside between Mindat and Mow Bi Township (56 miles N of Mindat), 21°35′ N, 93°43′ E, ca. 2,400– apex acute; lateral sepals slightly oblique. Petals 2,500 m alt., N. Tanaka, T. Sugawara, S. Kobayashi, T. narrowly oblanceolate, 27.5–32 mm long, 3.2–3.8 Toma, T. Akiyama & K. Watanabe 030828 (MBK). mm wide, apex acute. Lip linear, 32–35 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, slightly saccate at base, apex 3-lobed; lateral lobes narrowly oblong, 4.2–5.2 Note. Two varieties of Cremastra appendicu- mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, apex obtuse; mid-lobe lata are recognized; variety appendiculata is ovate, 7.8–8 mm long, 3.3–3.8 mm wide, apex characterized a wingless column and a large ver- NII-Electronic Library Service The Japanese Society for Plant Systematics October 2015 Watthana &al.–First Record of Cremastra in Myanmer 199 Fig. 2. Cremastra appendiculata (D. Don) Makino var. appendiculata at Natma Taung National Park, Chin State, Myanmar. A–B. habit. C. inflorescence. D. flowers. All photos were taken by S. Watthana (19 May 2012). Voucher specimen is K. Fujikawa et al. 089099, MBK. NII-Electronic Library Service The Japanese Society for Plant Systematics 200 Acta Phytotax. Geobot. Vol. 66 rucose callus on the mid-lobe of the labellum; va- References riety variabilis (Blume) I. D. Lund, which occurs from northern Indochina to Japan (Chen et al. Chen, S.-C., S. W. Gale, & P. J. Cribb. 2009. Cremastra 2009) can be distinguished by the presence of Lindl. In: Wu, Z. Y., P. H. Raven & D. Y. Hong (eds.), column wings and smaller, smooth callus. Al- Flora of China, vol. 25, pp. 249–250. Science Press, though the range of distribution of variety appen- Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. diculata is still controversial (Lund 1987, Yuka- Louis. Govaerts, R., P. Bernet, K. Kratochvil, G. Gerlach, G. wa 1999, Govaerts et al. 2015), the information Carr, P. Alrich, A. M. Pridgeon, J. Pfahl, M. A. Cam- provided here is based on the publication by Chen pacci, D. H. Baptista, H. Tigges, J. Shaw, P. J. Cribb, et al. (2009). We expect additional individuals to A. George, K. Kreuz & J. J. Wood. 2015. World be found in Natma Taung National Park and in Checklist of Orchidaceae. Facilitated by the Royal other parts of Myanmar. We suspect that the spe- Botanic Gardens, Kew. <http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/> (accessed on 4 January 2015). cies was not known from Myanmar previously Hu, G. W., C. L. Long & T. J. Motley. 2013. Cremastra due to insufficient exploration. malipoensis (Orchidaceae), a new species from Yun- nan, China. Syst. Bot. 38: 64–68. We express our cordial thanks to Dr. Nyi Nyi Kyaw, Di- Kress, W. J., R. De Filipps, E. Farr & Yin-Yin-Kyi. 2003. rector General, Forest Department and to U Win Naing A checklist of the trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers of Thaw, Director of the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Myanmar. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 45: 1−590. Division, Forest Department, Myanmar, for their help in Lund, I. D. 1987. The genus Cremastra (Orchidaceae), a coordinating the expedition. Special thanks are also due taxonomic revision. Nord. J. Bot. 8: 197–203. to U Tin Mya Soe, Park Warden, and to the rangers of Pearce, N. R. & P. J. Cribb. 2002. The Orchids of Bhutan. Natma Taung National Park for their kind help during the Flora of Bhutan 3(3). Royal Botanic Garden Edin- field survey. We also thank Paul Ormerod, Dr. Hubert burgh, Edinburgh & Royal Government of Bhutan. Kurzweil, and Dr. Henrik Æ. Pedersen for relevant infor- Yukawa, T. 1999. Cremastra aphylla (Orchidaceae), a mation, and two reviewers for giving us critical com- new mycoparasitic species from Japan. Ann. Tsukuba ments on the manuscript. This research work was partly Bot. Gard. 18: 59–63. supported by Grant-in-Aid from the JICA Grass Roots program, Government of Japan and a Grant-in-Aid from the Kochi Prefectural Government. Received January 24, 2014; accepted April 8, 2015 NII-Electronic Library Service