25,089 research outputs found
FIG. 3 in Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov. (Burmanniaceae) a new species from Mayotte, Comoro Islands
No full textFIG. 3. — Map of the global distribution of Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov. Map by Sébastien Traclet.Published as part of Cheek, Martin & Traclet, Sébastien, 2020, Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov. (Burmanniaceae) a new species from Mayotte, Comoro Islands, pp. 179-188 in Adansonia 42 (8) on page 185, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2020v42a8, http://zenodo.org/record/387745
Kinkonia Cheek
No full textSubgenus 3. Kinkonia Cheek subgen. nov. Type species: Sapicolella futa Cheek sp. nov. http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77297287-1 Roots radiating from a central point, lacking a central crustose part (or crustose portion minute), narrowly ribbon-like, bifurcating regularly and frequently, shoots only at the sinuses of the bifurcations. Stems highly contracted, inconspicuous. Leaves comprised of concave elliptic base, blade absent or rudimentary, stipules absent. DISTRIBUTION. Guinea-Conakry, Futa Djalon. ETYMOLOGY. Named for the Kinkon Falls at Pita, one of the locations for the only known species.Published as part of Cheek, Martin, Molmou, Denise, Magassouba, Sekou & Ghogue, Jean-Paul, 2022, Taxonomic revision of Saxicolella (Podostemaceae), African waterfall plants highly threatened by Hydro-Electric projects, pp. 403-433 in Kew Bulletin 77 (2) on page 423, DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10019-2, http://zenodo.org/record/759936
Butumia Cheek 2022
No full textSubgenus 2. Butumia (G.Taylor) Cheek comb. et stat. nov. Type species: Sapicolella marginalis (G.Taylor) Cheek. http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77297285-1 Basionym: Butumia G.Taylor, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Bot. 1: 55 (1952). Roots, crustose in centre, but mostly comprised of radiating, long, entire, rarely branched, broadly ribbon-like roots with numerous marginal shoots. Stems highly contracted, not visible. Leaves with sheathing base (where known), blade reduced, shorter than base, stipules present (where known). DISTRIBUTION. Guinea-Conakry, Nigeria, Cameroon. ETYMOLOGY. Taking the name of the basionym Butumia (itself named for the Butum River, Nigeria). Species 5 – 6: Sapicolella marginalis (G.Taylor) Cheek, S. deniseae CheekPublished as part of Cheek, Martin, Molmou, Denise, Magassouba, Sekou & Ghogue, Jean-Paul, 2022, Taxonomic revision of Saxicolella (Podostemaceae), African waterfall plants highly threatened by Hydro-Electric projects, pp. 403-433 in Kew Bulletin 77 (2) on page 419, DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10019-2, http://zenodo.org/record/759936
FIG. 1 in Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov. (Burmanniaceae) a new species from Mayotte, Comoro Islands
No full textFIG. 1. — Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov.: A, habit; A', detail showing base of stem and roots; B, branch of inflorescence with flower buds and detail of bract; C, dissection of large flower bud from B; D, open flower; E, perianth and stigmas (from photo); F, stamen and pair of lateral outer perianth lobes from bud dissected in C; G, stigmatic filament looped over lateral perianth lobe in bud dissected in C; H, fruit (dried). All drawn from S. Traclet 665 (MAO03189), liquid preserved, unless otherwise indicated. Drawn by Andrew Brown. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; A', B, C, D, H, 2 mm; E, F, G, 1 mm.Published as part of Cheek, Martin & Traclet, Sébastien, 2020, Gymnosiphon mayottensis Cheek, sp. nov. (Burmanniaceae) a new species from Mayotte, Comoro Islands, pp. 179-188 in Adansonia 42 (8) on page 183, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2020v42a8, http://zenodo.org/record/387745
Saxicolella ijim Cheek
No full text2. Saxicolella ijim Cheek sp. nov. Type: Cameroon, North West Region, Bamenda-Fundong, Anyajua, “ Waterfall near Ijim Project HQ ”, fl. fr., 12 Dec. 1998, Cheek et al. 9920 (holotype K [K000229622]; isotypes SCA, YA). http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77297282-1 Ledermanniella cf. musciformis sensu Cheek (Cheek et al. 2000: 69, 152) Perennial or annual herb, rosette-like, 7 – 8 cm diam. Root crustose in the central part of the plant, at the edge radiating and divided into separate, free, lobes, 0.5 – 0.8 cm wide (Fig. 2A). Stems (1 –) 2 – 6, arising from the crustose centre of the root rosette (absent from the radiating lobes), erect, free-standing, branched from the base, (1 –) 3 – 7 cm tall, spreading as wide as the root rosette, terete, each c. 2 mm diam. at base, with 3 – 8, ± evenly spaced, short leafy side-branches (Fig. 2B), proximal branches up to 1.5 cm long, phyllotaxy spiral, diam. slightly more slender than the principal axes, leaves with axillary rosette shoots. Rosette (spur) shoots axillary with stems inconspicuous, 1 – 2 per axil, each bearing 2 – 8 leaves and a single terminal spathellum. Leaves of side branches withspiral phyllotaxy, internodes c. 1 mm long, laterally compressed, linear, (2 –) 2.5 – 8 × 0.25 mm, entire, very rarely bifid, apex obtuse-rounded, basal 1 – 2 mm canaliculate, shortly sheathing the stem, astipulate (Fig. 2B), subtending axillary rosette shoots. Leaves of rosette shoots, proximal leaves as those of the subtending sidebranches, but usually with a pair of stipules arising from near base of the leaf sheath; distal 1 – 2 leaves immediately subtending the spathellum usually astipulate, shorter, 1.5 – 2 × 0.3 mm (Fig. 2D). Stipules symmetrical, equal, on each side of the leaf, narrowly triangular, 0.1 – 0.5 (– 0.8) × 0.1 mm, apex rounded, size of stipules increasing towards stem apex-spathellum (Fig. 2C). Spathellum (undehisced) orbicular, 1 mm diam., mucro 0.2 mm long with apex rounded; dehiscing irregularly, post-dehiscence 1 – 2 × 0.7 – 1 mm (Fig. 2D). Flower ± erect in bud (in spathellum); at anthesis partly included in the ruptured spathellum (Fig. 2E – G). Pedicel 0.5 – 1.5 mm long at anthesis. Tepals 2, slightly spatulate-oblanceolate to filiform 0.2 – 0.3 mm, distal portion 0.1 mm broad, flat, stipe 0.05 mm broad, erect (Fig. 2F & G). Stamen as long as or exceeding gynoecium, filament 1 – 1.2 mm long, dorsiventrally flattened; anther oblong 0.5 × 0.25 mm. Gynophore 0 (– 0.2) mm long. Ovary ellipsoid 0.75 – 1 × 0.6 – 0.65 × 0.7 – 0.75 mm, in transverse section slightly ellipsoid, slightly narrower along the sutured plane; unilocular, longitudinal ribs well-defined, 6 (three on each valve), commissural ribs absent (Fig. 2J). Stigmas 2, complanate, ovate, 0.25 – 0.3 × 0.18 – 0.2 mm, minutely verrucate (Fig. 2E – H). Fruit about same size as ovary; pedicel accrescent (1.5 –) 2.5 mm long, carrying fruit beyond the spathellum (Fig. 2H). Seeds ellipsoid 0.2 × 0.15 mm. DISTRIBUTION. Cameroon, North West Region, Bamenda-Fundong, Anyajua, known only from the type locality. SPECIMENS EXAMINED. CAMEROON, North West Region, Bamenda-Fundong, Anyajua, “Waterfall near Ijim Project HQ”, fl. fr., 12 Dec. 1998, Cheek et al. 9920 (holotype K [K000229622]; isotypes SCA, YA). Only the type specimen is known. HABITAT. On boulders in spray zone below waterfall from basalt cliff, in former submontane forest belt. No other Podostemaceae present (Cheek pers. obs. Dec. 1998); 1200 m alt. CONSERVATION STATUS. Sapicolella ijim is known from a single waterfall, with only 20 – 30 plants scattered in an area of not more than 10 m × 10 m. Threats were not apparent at the time of collection. Here the species is assessed as Critically Endangered, CR B2ab(iii)+D. The waterfall is fed from a stream at the top of the Ijim Plateau where cattle have been introduced, posing a threat by their grazing and trampling increasing surface run-off and so silt levels in the stream feeding the falls. Targeted searches for Podostemaceae at numerous other waterfalls in the Fundong-Anyajua -Ijim area in 1998 did not uncover any additional sites for this species (Cheek et al. 1997; Cheek et al. 2000). Targeted searches by Ghogue to refind this taxon (then thought to be Ledermanniella musciformis) in the Bamenda area in 2006 with Ryoko Imachi and Yoko Kita failed to find it. Nearcomprehensive botanical surveys in other locations S, Wand Eof Kilum-Ijim have failed to find additional locations although they brought to light several other species of Podostemaceae (e.g. Cable & Cheek 1998; Chapman & Chapman 2001; Harvey et al. 2003, 2010; Cheek et al. 2003, 2010, 2011). PHENOLOGY. Flowering and fruiting in December, 2 – 2 months after the end of the main wet season. ETYMOLOGY. Named for Ijim, tribal lands of the Kom people, to which area this species is unique on current evidence. NOTES. When revisiting an incomplete and unsatisfactory identification the first author had made of a specimen from the Fondom of Kom in the Bamenda Highlands of Cameroon many years ago (Cheek 9920, Ijim, Anyajua, waterfall, 1200 m, 12 Dec. 1998, previously identified as Ledermanniella cf. musciformis: Cheek et al. 2000: 152) it was realised that the fruiting ovary was erect emerging from the spathellum and, given the ribbon-like roots, longitudinally ribbed fruit and single stamen, that this could not possibly be a Ledermanniella, but a species of Sapicolella. Prior to this paper, the only other published species of Sapicolella sensu stricto known which has long stems was S. flabellata. Sapicolella ijim differs from S. flabellata in the simple leaves, very rarely bifid (not flabellate, quadrifid); stigmas complanate, ovate (not filiform); fruit 6-ribbed, ellipsoid, length:breadth ratio c. 1: 0.65 (not 8-ribbed, fusiform, length: breadth c. 1: 0.22). Sapicolella ijim occurs within a few kilometres of S. marginalis. These two species, together with S. angola, occur at the highest altitudes known for the genus (1200 – 1300 m alt.). The two Bamenda Highland species are easily separated since while the first has long stems, which are only produced from the centre of the radiating root rosette, the second lacks long stems completely, and instead bears numerous sessile, rosette-like stems along the margins of the radiating ribbon-like roots. Sapicolella ijim is similar to Sapicolella sp. Ain the unusual feature of the ovary being sessile (the gynophore being absent). Asummary of the rare, high altitude plant species of Kilum-Ijim (Mt Oku) is given by Maisels et al. (2000). Additional narrowly endemic species discovered from the Kilum-Ijim area are: Ternstroemia cameroonensis Cheek (Cheek et al. 2017c), Dovyalis cameroonensis Cheek (Cheek & Ngolan 2006).Published as part of Cheek, Martin, Molmou, Denise, Magassouba, Sekou & Ghogue, Jean-Paul, 2022, Taxonomic revision of Saxicolella (Podostemaceae), African waterfall plants highly threatened by Hydro-Electric projects, pp. 403-433 in Kew Bulletin 77 (2) on pages 411-415, DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10019-2, http://zenodo.org/record/759936
Deinbollia onanae Cheek & Onana & Chapman 2021
No full textDeinbollia onanae Cheek Holotype: Cameroon, Mt Oku and the Ijim Ridge, Aboh to Tum, 2400 m alt., fl. 22 Nov. 1996, Etuge 3600 (holotype K000337729! Fig. 2, isotypes MO!, WAG0336084!, WAG0336083!, YA0057050!). Additional specimens: CAMEROON. South West Region, Mt Kupe, near main summit, immature fr., 26 June 1996, Cable 3386 (K000197863!, YA!); North West Region. Bali Ngemba Forest Reserve, fr. April 2002, Onana 1600 (YA!); Mt Oku and the Ijim Ridge: above Laikom, st. 21 Nov..1996, Cheek 8709 (K000337728! YA!); Dom, Kinjinjang Rock, st. 25 Sept. 2006, Cheek 13436 (K000580433!; YA!); ibid. Forest Patch 1, fl. buds, 27 Sept. 2006, Cheek 13625 (K000580434!, MO!, US!, YA!); ibid., Javelong Forest, st. 29 April 2005, Pollard 1400 (K000580432!; YA!); Adamaoua Region, c. 120 km E of Ngaoundéré, 15 km NE of Belel, falls in Koudini River, alt. ± 1,200 m, fl. 4 Dec. 1964, W.J.J.O. & J.J.F.E. de Wilde, B.E.E. de Wilde-Duyfjes 4555 (K000593309!; K000593310!, WAG1269760!, YA). NIGERIA. Taraba State, Mambilla Plateau, Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, near camp, fr. 2 Dec. 2003, H.M. Chapman 481 (FHI, K!); ibid. female fl. 4 Dec. 2002, H.M. Chapman 484 (FHI, K!). All specimens are herbarium specimens from the National Herbarium of Cameroon and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. New Species Registration The following information was supplied regarding the registration of a newly described species: Deinbollia onanae sp. nov.: 77215132-1Published as part of Cheek, Martin, Onana, Jean Michel & Chapman, Hazel M., 2021, The montane trees of the Cameroon Highlands, West-Central Africa, with Deinbollia onanae sp. nov. (Sapindaceae), a new primate-dispersed, Endangered species, pp. 1-25 in PeerJ 9 on pages 20-21, DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11036, http://zenodo.org/record/461248
Saxicolella futa Cheek
No full text7. Saxicolella futa Cheek sp. nov. Type: Guinée (Republic of Guinea), Guinée Moyenne, Futa Djalon, Labé, Chutes de Salaa, 877 m alt., fr. 18 Jan. 2018, Cheek 18973 (holotype K [K000592222]; isotype HNG). http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77297288-1 Sapicolella futa ined. Couch et al. (2019: 171, 213) Annual herb, (1 –) 1.5 – 2 cm diam., stems including fruits 1.8 – 2.2 mm tall (Fig. 7A & B). Roots radiating, adhering strongly to substrate, dorsiventrally strongly flattened (thallus or ribbon-like), 0.2 – 0.5 (– 0.8) mm wide, internodes 1.5 – 2.2 mm long, repeatedly bifurcating at angles of 80 – 100 (– 120°), drying bright white, resembling Riccia (thalloid liverwort) (Fig. 8). Stems monomorphic, extremely short, in the fork of root bifurcations, bearing a sessile rosette, phyllotaxy spiral, leaves 2 – 3, spathellum single, terminal. Leaves concave, irregularly ovate or elliptic, 0.2 – 0.3 × 0.2 – 0.2 mm, apex acuminate, basal attachment broad, stipules absent, distal leaves larger than proximal. Spathellum pre-dehiscence ellipsoid, 0.3 × 0.25 mm, apiculate, basal part sheathed in leaves; dehiscing irregularly, then broadly funnel-shaped c. 1.2 × 0.8 mm. Pedicel erect, c. 0.6 mm long. Tepals 2, filiform, suberect, 0.2 mm long. Stamen one, filament 1.25 – 1.6 mm, erect, exceeding ovary; anther oblong, 0.18 – 0.2 × 0.18 mm, cells opposite. Gynoecium, gynophore curved, 0.6 × 0.1 mm. Ovary unilocular, ellipsoid in fruit, (0.7 –) 0.8 – 0.85 × 0.3 – 0.5 mm, elliptic in transverse section, c. 0.3 × 0.5 mm (Fig. 7H), with six shallow longitudinal ribs (commissural ribs not developed). Stigmas 2, complanate, oblong, 0.175 – 0.2 × 0.1 mm. Fruit placenta spindle-like (Fig. 7E). Seeds oblong-ellipsoid 0.25 × 0.18 – 0.19 mm (hydrated) (Fig. 7K). RECOGNITION. Differing from other Sapicolella species with sessile spathellae (S. marginalis, S. deniseae) in the shoots not marginal, numerous, closely spaced, but single, at root bifurcations; leaves lacking stipules (not stipulate); root slender (1 mm wide, not or rarely bifurcating along its length). DISTRIBUTION. Guinée (Republic of Guinea), Guinée Moyenne, Fouta Djalon. SPECIMENS EXAMINED. GUINEA. Fouta Djalon, Pita, above Chutes de Kinkon, 857 m alt. fl. 18 Jan. 2018, Cheek 18979 with Molmou (HNG, K [K000592222]); ibid 18 Jan. 2018, Cheek 18980 with Molmou (HNG, K [K000592223]); Pita, Chutes de Kambadga, 710 m alt. fr. 19 Jan. 2018, Cheek photo record; Labé, Chutes de Salaa, 877 m alt., fr. 18 Jan. 2018, Cheek 18973 (holotype K [K000592222]; isotype HNG). HABITAT. Waterfalls in the former cloud forest zone. The species grows at three sites each with several other Podostemaceae-Podostemoideae species (see case study above) but flowers, fruits and dies in advance of those, growing higher up in the riverbed than all other species of that group. 710 – 877 m alt. CONSERVATION STATUS. Known so far from three locations: 1) Chutes de Salaa near Dalaba (type locality); 2) above the Chutes de Kinkon; 2) Chutes de Kambadga, downstream of Kinkon. The AOO is estimated as 12 km 2 using the IUCN (2012) -preferred 2 km × 2 km grid cells and the extent of occurrence as 81.8 km 2. Here Sapicolella futa is assessed as Endangered, EN B2ab(iii) since there are severe and imminent threats at all three locations. At locations 1) and 2) there are plans to build hydroelectric dams that are very likely to result in local extinction of the species (pers. obs. Cheek 2018). At site 2) the species is threatened by contamination of the water source by silt from run-off and by eutrophication due to contamination as the Kinkon river traverses the major town of Pita: fewer than 50 plants were seen at this location, and occupied a total area of <2 m × 2 m. In the next 10 years this species is expected to be reassessed as Critically Endangered (CR), or even “possibly extinct”. However, it is possible that further surveys may find additional sites for the species, which would be welcome. Seed banking and public awareness actions will be put in place as soon as possible. 1 Note added in proof May 2022: new imagery dated 21 Nov. 2021 shows the site completely submerged, extinction has likely resulted PHENOLOGY. Presumably germinating no earlier than May, with the beginning of the wet season, before which its habitat is dry. Flowering may begin as early as November after the conclusion of the wet season in October. By January fruit has formed and the plants are dead. ETYMOLOGY. Named for the Futa (or Fouta) Djalon highlands of the Republic of Guinea to which the species appears to be unique. NOTES. Sapicolella futa has a shorter growing season, (possibly completing its life cycle in only six months or less) than all other Podostemaceae species present at each of the three locations at which it is known, apart from Tristicha trifaria. Both these two species were dead, dried and in fruit when encountered in Jan. 2018, while all other species of Podostemaceae present at these sites were still alive and only, for the most part, just becoming exposed by falling water and were in the process of beginning their flowering. The fact that, in these three locations, S. futa was found only on rock surfaces 20 – 100 cm above the waterlevel at which most other Podostemaceae (and all other Podostemoideae) occurred suggests that the species may have evolved into a niche to escape competition from those species. The extremely minute and inconspicuous stems, the diminutive ovaries, diminutive leaves, and slender roots in comparison with other species of the genus, may well all be reductions that have enabled it to occupy a niche where the growing season is short, being the last to be submerged, and the first exposed, of all the Podostemoideae niches present within its range. Sapicolella futa is unique in the genus for its very slender (<1 mm wide) ribbon-like roots, for the small size of its flowers, and for the position of the flowering shoots being only at the point of root bifurcations, so that the roots appear to terminate in a shoot before bifurcating. It is also unique in lacking evidence of stipules, but this is possibly concomitant with the reduction of leaf size. At maturity, more than 90 – 95% of the bulk of the plant consists of root, more so than any of the other species of the genus where the shoots are much more numerous and also larger and longer. The flowers and fruits are difficult to discern. Recent surveys in Guinea connected with the Guinea Tropical Important Plant Area programme (TIPAs) have discovered several other new species to science, all of which are threatened. Several of these are, like Sapicolella futa, also rheophytes, restricted to fast flowing water habitats, such as Inversodicraea pepehabai Cheek (Cheek & Haba 2016), I. koukoutamba and I. tassing (Cheek et al. 2019a), Karima scarciesii (Scott Elliot) Cheek (Cheek et al. 2016), Lebbiea grandiflora Cheek (Cheek & Lebbie 2018; Couch et al. 2019), while others are also found on the sandstone rock of the Fouta such as Keetia futa (Cheek et al. 2018a), Calophyllum africanum (Cheek & Luke 2016), and Kindia gangan Cheek (Cheek et al. 2018b).Published as part of Cheek, Martin, Molmou, Denise, Magassouba, Sekou & Ghogue, Jean-Paul, 2022, Taxonomic revision of Saxicolella (Podostemaceae), African waterfall plants highly threatened by Hydro-Electric projects, pp. 403-433 in Kew Bulletin 77 (2) on pages 423-424, DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10019-2, http://zenodo.org/record/759936
Nepenthes alzapan (Nepenthaceae), a new species from Luzon, Philippines
No full textCheek, Martin, Jebb, Matthew (2013): Nepenthes alzapan (Nepenthaceae), a new species from Luzon, Philippines. Phytotaxa 100 (1): 57-60, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.100.1.
Nepenthes kurata Jebb & Cheek 2013, sp. nov.
No full textNepenthes kurata Jebb & Cheek sp. nov. urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77134486-1 Fig. 1 Diagnosis Differs from N. mindanaoensis Sh.Kurata in the petiole wings patent (not involute), the hairs of stem, midrib and leaf-edge bushy, 0.1 mm long, not bristle-like 1–1.5 mm long; the lid about half as long as the mouth, lid base rounded or truncate (not about as long as the mouth, base cordate). Etymology Named as a noun in apposition for Shigeo Kurata, whose book on the Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu (Kurata 1976) inspired interest in the genus among its many readers, and whose descriptions of Nepenthes are models of detail, precision and clarity. Type PHILIPPINES. Mindanao, “Prov. of Misamis, Mount Malindang”. May 1906, Mearns & Hutchinson in Forest Bureau 4632 (holotype K!; isotype PH!). Fig 1. Synonym Nepenthes alata Blanco var. ecristata Macfarlane, Nepenthaceae. In: Engler A. (ed.) Das Pflanzenreich Heft 36, 4, 3: 72 (1908). – Type: lectotype, designated here: Philippines, Mindanao, “Prov. of Misamis, Mount Malindang”, May 1906, Mearns & Hutchinson in Forest Bureau 4632 (lecto-: K!; isolecto-: PH!). Description Terrestrial shrub-climber, height unknown. Climbing stems terete to slightly angular, 4–6 mm diam.; internodes 30–50 mm long; axillary buds not evident; indumentum inconspicuous, persistent to the fifth internode from the apex, hairs translucent brown, simple or 2–3-armed from the base, hairs straight, variously angled from the horizontal, ca. 0.1 mm long, covering ca. 5% of the surface except the axils (100% coverage) surface brown-black, matt. Leaves of rosette shoots thinly coriaceous, blade narrowly elliptic, 8–9 × 2–2.5 cm; apex and base acute; longitudinal nerves 1–2 pairs, within 2 mm of the margin, moderately conspicuous on both surfaces; pennate nerves at 90° from the midrib, numerous and moderately conspicuous; upper surface drying glossy pale brown, lower surface matt, mid-brown. Leaves of climbing stems as the rosette leaves, but blades suboblong or oblong-lanceolate 10–12.5 × 3.2–3.8 cm; apex obtuse or acute; base obtuse; lower surface with sessile red glands ca. 0.5 mm diam.; midrib 40–60% covered in patent, brown, simple or basally bifurcate-trifurcate hairs 0.1–0.3(–0.5) mm long; margin fringed, in young leaves, with hairs 0.25 mm long, pale-brown, 1–4-armed from the base. Petiole winged-canaliculate, 4–5 × 0.7 cm, wings patent; base clasping the stem for ⅓ to ½ its circumference, sometimes decurrent as an obtuse ridge to the node below. Lower pitchers unknown. Intermediate pitchers (tendrils uncoiled: Mearns & Hutchinson 4632) 12.5–17.2 cm long, ellipsoid in the basal third to half, 4–5.7 cm wide, constricted, more or less abruptly, 5–7.5 cm from the base into the subcylindrical upper part, 2.1–3 cm diam. dilating slightly towards the apex 3–4 cm diam.; outer surface strongly reticulated with raised nerves when dry, 2–5% covered in hairs of two types (Fig. 1D), (1) large erect hairs 0.3–0.75 mm long, with a single, major, curved arm, and 1–2 much smaller erect arms, and (2) minute, 3–6-armed stellate hairs 0.05–0.1 mm diam., which are more frequent, (ca. 4 per mm 2); surface covered throughout (6–10 per mm 2) with sessile, depressedglobose glands 0.1–0.2 mm diam.; fringed wings reduced to ridges except in the ca. 25 mm below the peristome, widening to 3 mm broad, with fringed elements 2.5 mm long, 2–5 mm apart; mouth oblique, suborbicular, ovate, 3–4.8 × 2.7–4.5 cm; apex with a column 9–10 mm long; peristome rounded to slightly flattened, 2–2.5 mm wide, more or less even in width, ribs 0.25–0.5 mm apart, conspicuous, about 0.1 mm high, outer edge lacking lobes, inner edge with very short teeth and conspicuous holes, teeth <0.1 mm long. Lid much smaller than the mouth, ovate, or broadly ovate, 25–35 × 25–30 mm, apex rounded to obtuse, base rounded to truncate; lower surface with a low basal ridge ca. 1 mm high, 7–10 mm long, either lacking a protruding appendage entirely (Fig. 1F) or with a modestly developed appendage 1–2 mm high (Fig. 1H); nectar glands only slightly dimorphic, (1) midline nectar glands sparse, longitudinally elliptic, 0.5–0.7 × 0.1–0.25 mm, with a thin marginal rim (Fig. 1J), (2) outside the midline nectar glands circular (Fig. 1K), sparse, <1 per mm 2, only 35–50 on each side of the midline, the largest scattered in the distal half, 0.5 mm diam., grading down to those of the marginal equatorial areas ca. 0.25 mm diam., and those at the attachment point with the peristome and the basal ridge and appendage, 0.15 mm diam.; sessile depressed-globose minute red glands 0.1–0.2 mm diam. are scattered over the surface at a density of 3–8 glands per mm 2; minute inconspicuous stellate hairs ca. 0.075 mm diam. occur in an uneven, 0.5–1 mm wide band, near the margin widening to 1.5 mm wide at the lid apex. Spur unbranched, curving downwards, stout at base and tapering to a slender apex, ca. 5 mm long, with scattered long, subpatent hairs 0.3–0.7 mm long (Fig. 1I). Upper pitchers (tendril coiled, Gaerlan et al. in PPI 10914) resembling the intermediate pitchers, but fringed wings 1–2 mm wide, fringed elements 2.5 mm long, (2–) 4–5 mm apart, dilating to 4.5 cm below the mouth; pitcher green, peristome maroon. Lid broadly ovate to suborbicular 32 × 35 mm, lower surface with a basal ridge 9–10 mm long, ca. 2 mm high, bearing a central, symmetrical, protruding appendage 2 × 3 mm; nectar glands denser, ca. 110 on each side of the midline. Male and female inflorescences and infructescences unknown. Additional material PHILIPPINES. Mindanao, Prov. Misamis Occidental, S.E. slopes of Mt. Malindang, Lake Duminagat, May 1993, Gaerlan, Sagcal & Romero in PPI 10911 (BRIT!). Distribution, habitat & phenology Philippines, Mindanao; evergreen forest, volcanic substrates. Elevation: ca. 1400 m. Conservation status Nepenthes kurata sp. nov. is here assessed as Critically Endangered under Criterion D of IUCN (2012) since currently only two individuals, probably at a single location (as currently defined by IUCN) are known. This site, the ca. 6 ha crater Lake Duminagat, is within the ca. 50,000 ha Mt Malindang Range Natural Park of which at least 20,000 ha has been cleared for cultivation purposes, but which is a tentative World Heritage Site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5029/, downloaded 16 July 2013). In 2012 the Park was designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park (http://news.pia.gov.ph/index. php?article=1451343449808, downloaded 16 July 2013). It is to be hoped that further investigation will discover additional individuals and locations for this species, decreasing its threat status, and increasing the likelihood that it can be protected. Since the terrain of Mt Malindang is reported as being rugged, with much forest surviving, there is every reason to hope that the species survives there, unlike Nepenthes robcantleyi Cheek (Cheek 2011) also from Mindanao, which is already suspected to be extinct in the wild due to the almost total clearance of forest habitat at the single known wild location due to logging (Cheek 2011). Remarks The first Nepenthes taxa described from Mindanao, both of the N. alata group, (Cheek & Jebb 2013d), were N. alata var. ecristata Macfarl. (Macfarlane 1908), based on Mearns & Hutchinson 4632 from Mt Malindang, and N. copelandii Macfarl. (Macfarlane 1908) from Mt Apo. The first of these we here elevate to species level as N. kurata Jebb & Cheek sp. nov. Previously we had considered this taxon to be synonymous with N. mindanaoensis Sh.Kurata (Kurata 2001) (Cheek & Jebb 2013d). The two taxa do have similarities in the overall shape of the upper pitchers, the weakly to moderately developed basal lid appendage and the sparse nectar glands of the lower lid surface. However they can be distinguished using the characters in Table 1. The number and extent of these features merit elevation from varietal to specific-level recognition in our opinion. Although the type specimen has rosette stems and intermediate pitchers only, a second specimen, with climbing stems and upper pitchers, Gaerlan et al. in PPI 10911 came to light recently. It is from the type locality and matches the type in essential details. Nepenthes kurata sp. nov. has the spot character within the Nepenthes alata group of a small, more or less orbicular lid, only about half the length of the pitcher mouth. Macfarlane (1908) characterised his N. alata var. ecristata by the lid appendage being either reduced or absent; the nectar glands being few, medium to large in size, and irregularly dispersed. Of the single specimen cited (Mearns & Hutchinson 4632), only two sheets (PH and K) have been found, both annotated in Macfarlane’s hand, each with two intermediate pitchers. Although all four pitchers share a basal ridge (Fig. 1 F–H), only one of the four has an appendage, and that is only moderately developed as a convex emergence from the basal ridge (Fig. 1H). However a recent collection (Gaerlan et al. in PPI 10977) with upper pitchers, does show a developed appendage (Fig. 1E), suggesting the epithet ecristata “lacking a crest” is inappropriate. In any case, the Code demands priority only at one rank, so there is no requirement to adopt the varietal epithet at specific level, for which reason Macfarlane’s taxon is renamed as N. kurata sp. nov. The upper pitchers also differ from the intermediate pitchers in the greater density of the nectar glands on the lower surface of the lid. However the shape, distribution and size of the nectar glands remain similar. This is the only known species of Nepenthes from Mt Malindang at this time, and it is therefore the most westerly known species of the genus in Mindanao. Nepenthes kurata sp. nov. is still incompletely known, full details on its ecology, altitudinal range, population density, inflorescences and infructescences, and ethnobotany remain to be discovered. The type specimens were collected by Major E.A. Mearns and W.J. Hutchinson in 1906 on the first recorded ascent of Mt Malindang, a volcanic mountain in the NW of Mindanao. Both sheets are annotated in the hand of Macfarlane as “ N. alata var. ecristata Macfarlane ”, and either could be selected as lectotype of that name. The K sheet is accordingly selected.Published as part of Cheek, Martin & Jebb, Matthew, 2013, Recircumscription of the Nepenthes alata group (Caryophyllales: Nepenthaceae), in the Philippines, with four new species, pp. 1-23 in European Journal of Taxonomy 69 on pages 6-9, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2013.69, http://zenodo.org/record/382769
The Nepenthes micramphora (Nepenthaceae) group, with two new species from Mindanao, Philippines
No full textCheek, Martin, Jebb, Matthew (2013): The Nepenthes micramphora (Nepenthaceae) group, with two new species from Mindanao, Philippines. Phytotaxa 151 (1): 25-34, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.151.1.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.151.1.
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