e-Flora of Thailand
Volume 16 > Part 2 > Year 2023 > Page 460 > Zingiberaceae > Curcuma
45. Curcuma rhabdota Sirirugsa & M.F.Newmanwfo-0000365981
New Plantsman 7: 196. 2000. Plate LV: C.
Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.
Description : Rhizome ovoid, 1.5–3 by 1–2.5 cm, internally cream to pale brown, branches occurring only rarely, very short; root tubers ovoid to ellipsoid, 1.5–4 by 1–2 cm, internally white. Leafy shoot 25–60 cm tall with 2–5(–7) leaves; bladeless sheaths 2–3, green with maroon tinge, glabrous; leaf sheaths green or with reddish to maroon tinge, glabrous; ligule shallowly bilobed, 2–5 mm long, membranous; blades elliptic, 15–26 by 7–12 cm, plicate, dark green above, lighter below, glabrous on both surfaces, base obtuse, rounded to subcordate, apex acuminate; petiole 2–12 cm long, green or with slight reddish tinge, glabrous. Inflorescence central, 30–50 cm long; peduncle 25–50 cm long (including part hidden in leaf sheaths), green with red tinge near thyrse, glabrous; thyrse composed of 8–25 bracts; fertile bracts broadly obovate with rounded reflexed apex, 3–4 by 3–4 cm, connate by basal ½, green with longitudinal pale green and maroon to brown stripes and often with pink spot on each side of free apical part of bracts; cincinni with 3–6 flowers at basal bracts; coma bracts elliptic with obtuse apex, 2–4 by 1–2 cm, white to pale pink above, white to pale pink with maroon longitudinal stripes below; bracteoles ovate to triangular with blunt to acute apex, 0.5–1.2 by 0.3–0.9 cm, concave, semitranslucent white, glabrous. Flower gullet type, ca 4 cm long; ovary subglobose, 2–3 by 2–2.5 mm, white, glabrous; epigynous glands absent; stigma funnel-shaped, dorso-ventrally compressed, ca 1 mm diam., white, ostiole ciliate; calyx 7–9 mm long, with unilateral incision ca 4 mm, apex tridentate, semitranslucent white, glabrous; floral tube narrowly cylindrical, widening distally, 2–2.5 cm long, externally and internally white, glabrous; dorsal corolla lobe ovate to elliptic with slightly hooded apex, 0.8–1 by 0.5–0.7 cm, white, glabrous; lateral lobes ovate with rounded apex which rolls back soon after anthesis, ca 9 by 6 mm, white, glabrous; lateral staminodes broadly irregularly obovate with rounded apex, 9–11 by 6–8 mm, violet with red line along external margin at base; labellum narrowly elliptic with emarginate apex, 1 by 0.5–0.6 cm, white with violet with red patches along margin at base and pale yellow patch in centre; stamen ca 7 mm long; filament 2–3 mm long, ca 3 mm wide at base, ca 1.5 mm at point of attachment, white or with tiny red dots, glabrous; anther spurless, ca 5 mm long, connective tissue white, with short glandular hair, crest rounded, ca 2 by 1.5 mm, white, thick, thecae 3 mm long, dehiscing throughout their length, pollen white. Fruit globose to subglobose; seeds irregularly obovoid, brown with laciniate aril.
Thailand : EASTERN: Ubon Ratchathani.
Distribution : Cambodia, Laos (type), Vietnam.
Ecology : Along small streams in deciduous forests.
Vernacular : Bua lai ubon (บัวลายอุบล).
Uses: Cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Notes: The opaque white coma bracts with reddish brown stripes on outer surface are unique to this species.