14th Flora of Thailand Meeting
Scientific Programme
Thursday, August 21
MORNING SESSION MONOCOT MORPHOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS Chaired by Kongkanda Chayamarit
The floral morphology of the genus Dioscorea L. in Thailand
Chirdsak Thapyai
Abstract: All Dioscorea flowers are dioecious that male flowers and female flowers were produced on separate plants. Their flowers are usually globose in bud stage, then opening by small apical pore or slit, or fully open at anthesis. Tepals (sepals and petals) are in 2 whorls of 3, glabrous, pubescence or pubescence on outer tepal only. The colors are often greenish but in some species they present reddish-brown or greenish yellow along their axis and margins. The stamens of male flowers are usually in 2 whorls of 3, all fertile or only inner whorl sterile. Anthers are introse, oblong to ovate-oblong in which opening by longitudinal slit. Filaments usually filiform, straight or recurved, inserted on torus or tepal base. Female flowers are often conspicuous with trimerous ridged or winged of inferior pubescence or glabrous ovaries. The placentation is axile with two ovules in each locule of three.
The genus Kaempferia (Zingiberaceae) of Thailand
Minya Jenjittikul & K. Larsen
Abstract: The genus Kaempferia was described by Linneaus, 1753. It is comprised of about 60 species, distributed from India, China and throughout South-East Asia. The highest diversity, however, is found in continental SE Asia particularly Thailand and neighbouring regions (Larsen, 2005). Several species have been described from Thailand. Ridley (1899) described 2 species from Curtis collection in southern Thailand, K. pulchra and K. glauca. Larsen (1962) described K. filifolia from north-eastern Thailand; Sirirugsa (1989) described 3 species, K. spoliata, K. larsenii and K. siamensis and enumerated other 15 species from Thailand, namely K. angustifolia Rosc., K. elegans Wall. ex Bak., K. fallax Gagnep., K. galanga L., K. laotica Gagnep., K. marginata Carey, K. parviflora Wall. ex Bak., K. roscoeana Wall. and K. rotunda L. Finally, Jenjittikul and Larsen (2000) reported K. candida Wall. from western Thailand and Saensouk and Jenjittikul (2001) described K. grandilblia from the north-east. In the year 2008, six species are described by Larsen and Jenjittikul, bringing the total number of species in the genus Kaempferia in Thailand up to 24.
The biodiversity, taxonomy and ethnobotany of Amomum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae)
Vichith Lamxay, M. F. Newman, L. BjOrk & H. de Boer
Abstract: This study has four aims: 1) a taxonomic revision for the Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam, 2) improved understanding of the use of these plants by local people, 3) specimens collected across Lao PDR and deposited in various herbaria, 4) a phylogenetic study of the Lao species. More than 150 collections representing c. 20 species have been made and most National Protected Areas visited. Local knowledge patterns for each ethnic group were recorded. Herbarium specimens and accompanying material were taken to the Herbarium of the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, National University of Laos and will be distributed to UPS, E, L, and P. Typification is problematic since a number of names date from Loureiro's Flora cochinchinensis or Roxburgh's Flora indica. The species may be divided into three morphological groups: 1) prickly fruits, 2) winged fruits, 3) smooth fruits.
Murdannia discreta (Commelinaceae): recognizing and understanding a rare species in Thailand
Thaweesak Thitimetharoch, W. Putalun & R. B. Faden
Abstract: Aneilema discretum Craib was described in 1912 from a single Kerr collection from Doi Suthep in northern Thailand. It was not recollected for more than half a century. Despite more than a dozen collections since the mid-1980's, recognition of A. discretum as a distinct species of Murdannia has remained in doubt. In a recent Ph.D. thesis (Thitimetharoch, 2004) the plant was just mentioned in a note. Our latest studies, including a field collection from the type locality in September 2007, have confirmed that M. discreta is a relatively rare but distinct species that is somewhat intermediate between the common and widespread species M. japonica and M. edulis. From the former it may best be distinguished by its pubescent leaves and from the latter by the presence of cauline leaves or leafy bracts on the flowering shoots. Murdannia discreta is known from the Northern, Northeastern and Eastern Floristic Regions of Thailand. A 2007 Maxwell collection has extended the known distribution of this species, which is nearly endemic to Thailand, further east into Cambodia.
A phylogenetic study of the tribes Arundinelleae and Andropogoneae (Panicoideae; Poaceae)
Atchara Teerawatananon & T. R. Hodkinson
Abstract: The tribe Arundinelleae and some subtribes of Andropogoneae (Chionachninae, Dimeriinae and Germainiinae) were revised for the Flora of Thailand Project. About 40 taxa were studied by using classical herbarium and molecular techniques. In order to study the phylogenetic relationships among and within these grasses, three regions of chloroplast DNA (trnL intron, trnL-F intergenic spacer, atpB-rbcL spacer) and one nuclear DNA region (nrITSl-ITS2), were sequenced and analysed using maximum parsimony. Individual DNA region analyses and combined analyses (all plastid and all regions) were compared.
Taxonomy and systematics of the bamboos (Poaceae; Bambusoideae) in Thailand
Sarawood Sungkaew, S. Dransfield, C. M. A. Stapleton, N. Salamin & T. R. Hodkinson
Abstract: The bamboos were previously regarded as a markedly heterogeneous and primitive subfamily of the grasses. The taxonomy of Bambusoideae is in a state of flux and phylogenetic studies are required to help resolve taxonomic issues. Over 60 taxa, representing all the bamboo subtribes of the tribe Bambuseae and related non-bambusoid grasses were sampled. A combined analysis of five plastid DNA regions, trnL intron, trnL-F intergenic spacer, atpB?rbcL intergeneric spacer, rps16 intron, and matK, was used to study the phylogenetic relationships among the bamboos in general and the woody bamboos in particular. The tribe Bambuseae as currently recognized is not monophyletic. The new classification for Bambusoideae s.s. has been proposed. It now includes three tribes; Olyreae, the herbaceous; Bambuseae, the tropical bamboos, and Arundinarieae, the temperate bamboos. Other groups and relationships within Bambusoideae s.s. and between it and related non-bambusoide grasses are also discussed.
CLOSING CEREMONY, INCLUDING BOARD REPORT AND VENUE FOR NEXT FLORA OF THAILAND MEETING