Borneocola (Zingiberaceae), a new genus from Borneo

Abstract

A new genus from Borneo, Borneocola Y.Y.Sam, is described here. The genus currently contains eight species previously classified as members of the Scaphochlamys Baker. The finding is based on the results of the morphological and molecular studies of Scaphochlamys throughout its geographical range and its closely allied sister groups, Distichochlamys M.F.Newman and Myxochlamys A.Takano & Nagam. Borneocola is nested within the tribe Zingibereae and its monophyly is strongly supported by both ITS and matK sequence data. The genus is characterised by several thin, translucent and marcescent floral bracts, absence of coloured streaks on the labellum and capitate stigma with two dorsal knobs. The genus is distributed in northwest Borneo and all species are very rare and highly endemic.

Scaphochlamys disticha (Zingiberaceae), a new species with distichous inflorescence from Peninsular Malaysia

“…The genus closely resembles Scaphochlamys and phylogenetic studies have confirmed both as distinct sister-clades in the family Zingiberaceae (Kress et al 2002; Ngamriabsakul et al 2004; Takano and Nagamasu 2007; Sam et al 2016). There are several characters to distinguish Distichochlamys from Scaphochlamys , i.e.…”

A synopsis of the endemic plant genera of Borneo

“…Borneocola was described from a clade of Scaphochlamys species endemic to Borneo, supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses and floral morphological characters (Sam et al using the plastid matK and nuclear ITS regions). However, in a subsequent revision of Bornean Scaphochlamys , in which twenty‐four species were recognised, Ooi et al () suggested that the sampling of only six to seven Bornean species in the analyses of Sam et al () was inadequate for supporting the formation of their new genus.…”

“…Borneocola was described from a clade of Scaphochlamys species endemic to Borneo, supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses and floral morphological characters (Sam et al using the plastid matK and nuclear ITS regions). However, in a subsequent revision of Bornean Scaphochlamys , in which twenty‐four species were recognised, Ooi et al () suggested that the sampling of only six to seven Bornean species in the analyses of Sam et al () was inadequate for supporting the formation of their new genus. The taxonomic concepts of the two studies were also incongruent – while Sam et al () recognised Borneocola as a clade sister to Myxochlamys A.Takano & Nagam., Ooi et al () recognised six different morphological groupings of Bornean Scaphochlamys throughout which the species of Borneocola sensu Sam et al () were scattered, such that accepting the genus Borneocola would render the rest of the Bornean Scaphochlamys species difficult to define within their morphological framework.…”

“…However, in a subsequent revision of Bornean Scaphochlamys , in which twenty‐four species were recognised, Ooi et al () suggested that the sampling of only six to seven Bornean species in the analyses of Sam et al () was inadequate for supporting the formation of their new genus. The taxonomic concepts of the two studies were also incongruent – while Sam et al () recognised Borneocola as a clade sister to Myxochlamys A.Takano & Nagam., Ooi et al () recognised six different morphological groupings of Bornean Scaphochlamys throughout which the species of Borneocola sensu Sam et al () were scattered, such that accepting the genus Borneocola would render the rest of the Bornean Scaphochlamys species difficult to define within their morphological framework. Given the ongoing work in Scaphochlamys , the current delimitation of Borneocola is probably premature and further molecular work on Scaphochlamys will be required with an inclusion of more Bornean species.…”

Floral biology of Scaphochlamys (Zingiberaceae) focusing on Bornean taxa

“…The clade is sister to Distichochlamys M.F. Newman (Takano & Nagamasu 2007;Sam et al 2016). Scaphochlamys is distinguished from Myxochlamys and Distichochlamys by the following combination of characters: petiole base pulvinate (Borneo only), spiral floral bract arrangement, flowering acroscopic, first bracteole 2-keeled and arising opposite to the bract, bracteole split to the base and anthers with free basal spurs (Searle 2010).…”