Volume 16 > Part 2 > Year 2023 > Page 505 > Zingiberaceae > Etlingera

17. Etlingera yunnanensis (T.L.Wu & S.J.Chen) R.M.Sm.wfo-0000416007

Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 43(2): 251. 1986; Wu & Larsen in C.Y.Wu & P.H.Raven (eds), Fl. China 24: 356. 2000.— Achasma yunnanense T.L.Wu & S.J.Chen, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 16(3): 40. 1978. Plate LVIII: F.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Rhizome short-creeping, 1.5 cm diam., axis densely sericeous, scales to 4.5 cm long, reddish when young; stilt roots absent. Leafy shoot to 3.5 m long, 13–25 cm between neighbouring leafy shoots, with up to (2–)4(–5) shoots per plant, with up to 17–27 leaves per shoot; base to 3 cm diam., reddish, pubescent at base; sheath green, tinged purple in upper part, glabrous, slightly pubescent near margin; ligule to 1.2–1.5 cm long, entire, rounded, brownish green, sparsely sericeous, margin densely ciliate; petiole to 5 mm long, sericeous laterally, tomentose below; blade narrowly ovate, to 54 by 13 cm, length to width ratio 4.15, slightly plicate, dull green, young leaf tinged purple beneath, pubescent beneath especially on midrib, base rounded-cuneate, apex oblique, margin ciliate, especially in upper half. Flowering shoot 14–18 cm long, radical, receptacle ca 2 cm long, ovoid, with ca 50 flowers, 4–7 open at a time; peduncle subterranean, ascending, 8–18 cm long, pubescent to sericeous; peduncular bracts to 5.3–5.5 by 2.5–4 cm, upper ones enclosing base of inflorescence, dark red, ± tomentose; spike at ground level, 6–7 cm long (including flowers), flowers extending 1–1.5 cm above bracts (apex of labellum distanced 2 cm from apex of supporting bracts); spike only including bracts ovoid to cylindrical, 5.5 by 4.5–5.5 cm; sterile bracts absent; fertile bracts 4.7–5 by 1.2–2.5 cm, narrowly obovate to spathulate, apex irregularly emarginate, red, ± tomentose especially in lower half, margin ciliate, especially at apex; pedicel 1.5–2 mm long, below bracteole, densely pubescent; bracteoles 4.2 cm long, red, sericeous at base, tomentose above, apex bilobed, ciliate, lobes irregularly emarginate. Flower 6.7 cm long; ovary 4.5 by 4 mm, ovoid to cylindrical, angled, densely sericeous; style 5.3 cm long, pubescent in upper 1 cm; stigma ca 4.5 mm wide, red, with two lateral points, ostiole semilunar, transverse ca 2 mm, facing forwards; epigynous gland ca 6.5 mm long, almost bilaminate, apex tufted; calyx ca 5.2 cm long, 1.6 cm longer than bracteole, reaching apex of anther and ca 5 mm longer than dorsal corolla lobe, reddish, pubescent to tomentose, apex irregularly tridentate, slightly cucullate, tufted; floral tube ca 4 cm long, reddish, sparsely sericeous, glabrous at base, tube inside slightly hairy in a 1.5 cm band, below point of insertion of lateral corolla lobes; lobes red, sparsely sericeous, margin long-ciliate, dorsal lobe ca 1.6 by 0.8 cm, ovate, rounded, reaching base of anther, lateral lobes ca 1.2 by 0.55 cm, ovate, rounded; staminal tube ca 9 mm long, sericeous; labellum trilobed, ± ovate, ca 3 by 2 cm, angled ca 140° to tube, yellow with red centre, glabrous, lateral lobes erect on either side of filament, margin spreading distally exposing anther, central lobe orbiculate, ca 2 by 2 cm, extending ca 1.5 cm beyond anther, margin entire, slightly undulate; stamen ca 1.3 mm long, red; filament ca 6 by 3.5–4.5 mm, tomentose adaxially, canaliculate; anther ca 8.5 by 5.5 mm, widest near apex, apex slightly bilobed (by 0.5 mm), slightly spurred, glabrous, angled 160°, red, margin at apex slightly raised, thecae dehiscent ca 3 mm in upper half to 1 mm from apex, pubescent, spurs tufted. Infructescence ± embedded in the ground; peduncle ca 18 cm, head ca 8 by 11 cm, compressed hemispherical, with 28 fruits per head; pedicel to 0.7 cm long (extension between base of bracts and base of bracteole); fruit 4 by 2.5–3.5 cm, pyriform, angular, apex flat to concave, shoulders rounded, wine-red, densely golden-pubescent, bracts persistent; seeds to 4 mm across, rounded to angular, surface rough, arillate.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Phitsanulok; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun.

Distribution : China (type), Laos.

Ecology : forests, ca 800 m alt.

Notes: With its distinctive orbiculate yellow labellum, this species cannot be mistaken for any other species of Etlingera in Thailand.