13th Flora of Thailand Meeting
Scientific programme day 3
Thursday, 14th July
Chairperson Professor Ivan Nielsen
University of Aarhus, Denmark
Digitising the collections and archive of A.F.G. Kerr
David Simpson
Abstract A.F.G. Kerr’s major legacy is a collection of over 20,000 high quality specimens, linked to an archive of notes, diaries and photographs obtained during tours throughout Thailand and into surrounding countries. At present, the specimens and archive are accessible only by visiting the botanical institutes where they are held, notably BK, BKF, BM, L, K and TCD. A new initiative, led by Kew in partnership with Thai and European institutes, aims to make both the specimens and archive available online. These will be linked to more general content, with information about Kerr’s life and about plant collecting and conservation in Thailand. There will also be educational content for schools. We believe this is a fitting memorial to a man whose work has contributed to the scientific links and goodwill that have existed between Thailand and the U.K. over many years.
Genealogical relationships of Thai bananas based on Chloroplast DNA sequence analyses
Sasivimon Swangpol
Abstract Maternal lineages of bananas i.e. two species of Ensete, four species of Musa including Musa acuminata subspecies found in Thailand were inferred using four chloroplast DNA loci. Variation within the subspecies from different regions of the country was also detected. One population of Musa balbisiana, which was found wild in northern Thailand, differed morphologically and molecularly to cultivated clones. This finding rejects the hypothesis that M. balbisiana is not native to Thailand. More accessions are needed for further determination of accurate relationship within the Thai Musaceae. Future works on morphology and DNA analyses of these bananas will be discussed.
Progress on the Commelinaceae for the Flora of Thailand
Thaweesak Thitimetharoch, Robert Faden & Pranom Chantaranothai
Abstract Leaf anatomy is useful for distinguishing the genera of Commelinaceae. Three-celled glandular micro-hairs and raphide-canals characterize the family. Spherical spinulose silica bodies are distinctive for Amischotolype. A patterned cuticle, continuous hypodermis and marginal sclerenchyma are present only in Murdannia. Styloids and tannin cells are reported in the mesophyll of Murdannia japonica for the first time. A new, unique, type of silica cell in the family is reported in Dictyospermum. In view of the small member of taxa studied, the potential usefulness of leaf anatomy in this family is clearly shown.
The Gesneriaceae for the Flora of Thailand
David Middleton
Abstract In Thailand, the Gesneriaceae is a family of terrestrial and epiphytic herbs. A checklist of the genera and species has already been produced By B. L. Burtt and the Flora treatment can build on this framework. The talk will collate the work that has already been done and introduce the genera that will need to revised for the Flora.
The genus Curcuma L. (Zingiberaceae) in Thailand
Charun Maknoi, Puangpen Sirirugsa & Kai Larsen
Abstract The genus Curcuma L. in Thailand is under revision. 41 species have been enumerated. Based on morphology, four groups are recognized, i.e. Curcuma K. Schum. (Eucurcuma K. Schum.), Paracurcuma Valeton, Hitcheniopsis K. Schum, and ‘Ecomata’. These groups seem congruent with previous molecular phylogenetic trees except Paracurcuma since no species of this group has been shown in any analysis. However, more samples for molecular study to clarify relationships within this genus are needed.
A phylogenetic study of the Bambuseae (Bambusoideae; Poaceae) with particular emphasis on Dendrocalamus
Sarawood Sungkaew, Soejatmi Dransfield, Chris Stapleton, Nicolas Salamin, Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi, Vincent Savolainen & Trevor Hodkinso
Abstract Dendrocalamus is widely recognized as one of the most useful bamboo genera in the world and it includes the largest species of all bamboos. Approximately 13-20 species of Dendrocalamus are found in Thailand but it is unclear how these species relate to one another. To revise Dendrocalamus for the Flora of Thailand project it is important to know where Dendrocalamus fits within the tribe Bambuseae. Many DNA regions have been used for phylogenetic studies of bamboos (nuclear ribosomal DNA waxy gene and PHYB; plastid rpl16, ndhF, matK and rbcL). However, these have not suggested patterns for intra-tribal or intrageneric classification. This study is providing new DNA sequences (trnL-F; atpB-rbcL, and rps16) for phylogenetic study of Bambuseae and Dendrocalamus in particular. Sequences have also been taken from GenBank to produce maximum multi-gene matrix datasets. The project also anticipates using AFLP fingerprinting for infrageneric classification; a method that has proven useful for Phyllostachys (Bambuseae).
Chairperson Dr. David Middleton
Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland
The genus Alpinia Roxb. in Thailand
Surapol Saensook
Abstract A taxonomic revision of Thai Alpinia Roxb. is presented, 19 species and 21 taxa are recognized including three introduced species; Alpinia luteo-carpa, A. purpurata and A. vittata. Six taxa; Alpinia blepharocalyx var. blepharocalyx, A. blepharocalyx var. glabrior, A. intermedia, A. malaccensis var. nobilis, A. rafflesiana var. hirtior and A. scabra, are new to Thailand. The pollen morphology of Thai Alpinia was investigated to determine its taxonomic significance. Pollen of 20 taxa was investigated by LM and SEM. Pollen is monad, inaperturate with echinate surface except in the cases of A. purpurata and A. vittata in which the grains are psilate. The pollen grains are spheroidal with the medium diameter ranging from 50 mm (A. purpurata) to 102.5 mm (A. malaccensis var. malaccensis). Pollen of 15 taxa is recorded for the first time. Pollen of Thai Alpinia can be divided into three groups based on the exine sculptures: Alpinia galanga group, A. blepharocalyx group and A. purpurata group. Chromosome counts from root tip cells of 16 taxa were undertaken using the Feulgen squash technique. Somatic numbers of all taxa were found to be 48. Six taxa were studied karyologically for the first time.
Nutlet micromorphology in the genus Carex L. in Thailand
Kamolhathai Phulphong, Pranom Chantaranothai & David Simpson
Abstract Mature nutlets of 35 taxa of Carex were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The removal of outer periclinal walls was necessary for this study. Silica platforms in Carex are either polygonal or isodiametric with straight or sinuous anticlinal walls. Silica platforms are usually concave or flat. Convex silica platforms were observed in section Radicales: Carex speciosa ssp. speciosa, C. speciosa ssp. latifolia, Carex pterocaulos and Carex tricephala. Cone-shaped silica bodies were present in epidermal cells of the investigated taxa, but were poorly developed in Carex cryptostachys and absent in section Lageniformis: C. breviscapa, C. pleurocaula and C. largeniformis and a species of section Radicales: Carex anomocarya. Each silica platform contains only one cone-shaped silica body and lacks a subsidiary silica body. Multiple silica bodies are observed in Carex speciosa ssp. speciosa, C. speciosa ssp. latifolia, C. pterocaulos, C. maculata, C. juvenilis and Carex sp. Silica platforms of Carex nemostachys and C. craspedotricha contain central silica bodies with nodular subsidiary silica bodies. Nutlet micromorphology provides valuable characters for the delimitation of sections Lageniformes and Radicales.
The collections of C.C. Hosseus in Thailand (1904-05)
Hans-Joachim Esser
Abstract Carl Curt Hosseus (1878-1950) was a German botanist who collected in Thailand in 1904-1905. He was the first botanist ever to collect in Northern Thailand, slightly earlier than Kerr. In later years he continued his botanical career in Argentina. The first and complete set of his Thai collections is housed in the Botanische Staatssammlung Munich (M), including unicates and a complete list of his collections. Only species described from living plants, which he had brought with him, do not have a corresponding voucher in M. In addition to some data on his life and itinerary, an overview of his Thai collections is given. Hosseus made specimens of good quality and often with numerous duplicates. However, he concentrated on certain families, such as Acanthaceae and legumes, while ignoring many woody families. It is intended that a list of collections will be made available on the homepage of the Botanische Staatssammlung Munich.
Appendages do matter: The phylogeny, evolution and classification of the genus Globba and tribe Globbeae (Zingiberaceae)
Kyle Williams, John Cress & Paul Manos
Abstract The genus Globba (100species), one of the largest genera in the Zingiberaceae, is distributed throughout Southeast Asia, with the highest concentration of species occurring in Thailand and Myanmar. Globba along with the small genera Mantisia, Gagnepainia and Hemiorchis comprise the Globbeae, one of the two tribes of subfamily Zingiberoideae. Traditional infrageneric classifications of Globba have always focused on the number of anther appendages: zero, two or four. Parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were conducted on nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and plastid trnK-matK data from a broad sampling of Globba and related genera. Results show Mantisia to be monophyletic but derived out of Globba, while Hemiorchis and Gagnepainia are monophyletic genera that are sister to each other. The four species of Mantisia are formally transferred into Globba. A hypothesis of four independent gains and one loss of anther appendages is supported by this phylogeny. Anther appendage number alone does not demarcate monophyletic groupings, but anther appendage characters, including number, are the most important indicator of phylogenetic relationships in Globba. Other characters of importance for classification purposes include fruit morphology, bract shape and persistence, and inflorescence morphology. A new infrageneric classification system is proposed for Globba recognizing three subgenera, seven sections, and two subsections.
A taxonomic revision of the genus Litsea (Lauraceae) in Thailand
Chatchai Ngernsaengsarua
Abstract A taxonomic revision of the genus Litsea Lam. in Thailand was conducted from June 2001 to May 2005. The literature and herbarium specimens from several Thai and foreign herbaria were studied. Field surveys and specimen collections were made throughout the country. Thirty-five species of Thai Litsea are enumerated and examined in this treatment. It is the largest genus of the Lauraceae in Thailand. A key to the species based on flowering and fruiting specimens, and vegetative characters is presented. Descriptions, distributions, some ecological and phenological information are provided. One species, Litsea phuwuaensis C. Ngernsaengsaruay is described and published as a new species from north-eastern Thailand. Five species, Litsea castanea, L. cordata, L. firma, L. hirsutissima and L. tomentosa are described as new records from peninsular Thailand. Lectotypes or neotypes are designated for all names. Litsea hansenii becomes a new synonym of L. lancifolia in this treatment. The genus Litsea is widely distributed throughout the country. The highest concentration of species (22) is in the Peninsular region. Six species are endemic to Thailand, of which three species are confined to the North (Litsea beusekomii, L. kerrii and L. pseudo-umbellata), two species are confined to the North-East (L. phuwuaensis and L. pseudo-elongata), and one species is restricted to the Peninsular region (L. punctulata). Thai Litsea species occur in a wide variety of habitats. Tropical rain forest has the highest number of species (22). They are distributed at various altitudes from sea level to 2,550 m.a.s.l. (near the highest peak of Doi Inthanon, 2,565 m elevation). Twenty species of Thai Litsea were investigated for epidermal features of leaves under the light microscope. The stomata in all species are hypostomatic and paracytic. Pollen grains of 15 species of Thai Litsea were examined by means of LM and SEM. The pollen grains in all species were inaperturate and of spheroidal shape. The exine sculpture is echinate. The pollen morphology of Thai Litsea is uniform or shows slight differences in size which is insufficient to separate into groups. Therefore, the pollen data do not provide good characters for classification within the genus. Information on local use of some Thai Litsea species is presented. The fruits, bark and leaves of some species are used as a spice, or as an ingredient of food or as a vegetable. The wood of some species is used for house construction. However, several species of Litsea in Thailand are still not known to have local uses.