A Second Species of Smithatris (Zingiberaceae) from Myanmar

Abstract

Smithatris myanmarensis, the second species of a previously monospecific genus, is de¬ scribed from Myanmar. This new species differs from its congener in Thailand by the overall smaller stature, elliptic leaf lamina with long petioles, di¬ morphic inflorescence bracts, corolla lobes of sim¬ ilar size and shape, the pouch formed bv the labellum and lateral staminodes below the anther, and the shallowly lobed labellum.

History of infrageneric classification, typification of supraspecific names and outstanding transfers in Curcuma (Zingiberaceae)

“…Smithatris was originally described as a monospecific (S. supraneeana W.J.Kress & K.Larsen) genus by Kress & Larsen (2001). Later (Kress & Htun, 2003), described a second species, S. myanmarensis W.J. Kress.…”

Laosanthus, a new genus of Zingiberaceae from Laos

“…There is no doubt, however, that Thailand is the best explored country in the region. Still several new species and three new genera of Zingiberaceae have been described from Thailand during the last few years, Cornukaempferia Mood & Larsen (1 997), Siamanthus Larsen & Mood (1998), and Smithatris Kress & Larsen (2001). It is therefore not unexpected that another new genus of this family have been found in Laos.…”

Two new species of Gingers (Zingiberaceae) from Myanmar

“…The abundance of gingers in the understory of evergreen and monsoonal forests and the common uses of gingers as spices, medicines, and ornamentals has led to new discoveries in both natural environments (Kress et al 2010) as well as the marketplace (Kress and Larsen 2001, Kress and Htun 2003). Here we describe two new species from Myanmar, one found on the top of a ridge in pristine cloud forest and the other as a common offering in Buddhist ceremonies and temples.…”

“…A recent surge of interest in the taxonomy and classification of the family Zingiberaceae ( Kress et al 2002 , 2007 ) as well as significant efforts at field exploration in Southeast Asia have resulted in the discovery and description of a plethora of new species and genera of gingers (e.g., Kress et al 2010 , Leong-Škorničková et al 2011 ). The abundance of gingers in the understory of evergreen and monsoonal forests and the common uses of gingers as spices, medicines, and ornamentals has led to new discoveries in both natural environments ( Kress et al 2010 ) as well as the marketplace ( Kress and Larsen 2001 , Kress and Htun 2003 ). Here we describe two new species from Myanmar, one found on the top of a ridge in pristine cloud forest and the other as a common offering in Buddhist ceremonies and temples.…”