Scaphochlamys uniflora Ooi, K. Meekiong & S.Y. Wong, 2017

Hin, Ooi Im, Kalu, Meekiong & Yeng, Wong Sin, 2017, A review of Scaphochlamys (Zingiberaceae) from Borneo, with description of eleven new species, Phytotaxa 317 (4), pp. 231-279 : 248-250

9. Scaphochlamys uniflora Ooi, K. Meekiong & S.Y. Wong , sp. nov. Type:—MALAYSIAN BORNEO. Sarawak: Kuching Division, Bau, Seromah, 01°22’37.2”N, 110°11’33.9”E, 34 m, 12 January 2014, I.H. Ooi & K. Jeland OIH82 (holo SAR), Figure 9 Diagnosis:— Scaphochlamys uniflora is vegetatively similar to S. durga but readily distinguishable by a much larger flower with longer labellum (labellum c. 2 cm long vs. c. 1 cm long), light green (vs. light brown) bracts, a first bracteole longer than the associated bract

(vs. first bracteole shorter), a white tinged violet anther crest (vs. white), and the presence of anther spurs (vs. anthers spurless).

Terrestrial, perennial, rhizomatous herbs, to c. 25 cm tall. Rhizome creeping on ground, c. 5 mm in diameter, externally light brown, internally brownish white. Elements 2–10 cm apart, 1-foliate, juvenile up to 8-foliate; petiole 5–10 cm long, canaliculate, medium green, pubescent, base pulvinate, light to yellowish green; leafless sheath c. 3, 0.5–6 cm long, light green to light brown, glabrous, degrading with age; leaf sheath c. 2 cm long, membranous, glabrous, brownish light green, drying and shredding with age; ligule obscure; lamina 9–12 × 3–4 cm, ovate to lanceolate, coriaceous, margin slightly undulate, base attenuate, apex acute; adaxial surface semi-glossy, medium green, sometimes variegated (white shades between midrib and margins except main lateral veins), glabrous, midrib sunken, dark green, glabrous, main lateral veins slightly visible; abaxial surface whitish green, glabrous, midrib raised, dark green, glabrous, main lateral veins inconspicuous. Inflorescence c. 6.5 cm long, emerging from near leaf base inside leaf sheaths, comprised of 1-flowered solitarily borne on a peduncle; peduncle c. 0.5 cm long, whitish light green, glabrous, covered with degraded leafless sheaths; bract 1, c. 20 × 4 mm, spirally arranged, lanceolate, membranous, brownish light green, glabrous, apex acuminate, each bract subtending 1 flower; bracteole 1, c. 22 mm long, longer than bracts but barely distinguishable from bract, brownish light green; flower c. 55 mm long, mild floral odour reminiscent of torch-ginger ( Etlingera elatior ) tissues; calyx c. 16 mm long, tubular, white, glabrous, apex slightly tridentate; floral tube c. 40 mm long, glabrous, white; corolla lobes c. 12 mm long, lanceolate, glabrous, white, apex acute, hooded; labellum c. 20 mm × c. 17 mm, spathulate, adaxial surface covered with glandular hairs, white with violet along light yellow median band till lobes, apex 2-lobed, indented c. 5 mm; stamen c. 11 × 2 mm, covered with glandular hairs, white with purplish at crest; filament c. 6 mm long; anther thecae c. 3 mm long, spurred, crest c. 1.5 mm long, slightly 3-lobed; stigma less than 1 mm long, club-shaped with 2 dorsal knobs, ostiole ciliate, forward facing; style c. 45 mm long, white, glabrous; ovary c. 2 mm long, 1-locular, light green, sparsely pubescent, placentation basal; epigynous glands 2, c. 4 mm long, free, needle-like, yellowish white. Fruit and seeds not seen.

Etymology:—The specific epithet, uniflora , is referring to the single-flowered inflorescence.

Distribution and ecology: — Scaphochlamys uniflora is only known from the type locality where it occurs in deep litter/humus pockets on Karst limestones at c. 35 m elevation.

Additional specimen examined (paratype):—MALAYSIAN BORNEO. Sarawak: Kuching Division, Bau, Seromah, 01°22’37.2”N, 110°11’33.9”E, 34 m, 11 January 2015, I.H. Ooi & K. Jeland OIH291 (SAR).

Conservation status:—The conservation status of this species is Vulnerable (VU), and meets criteria B.1.a., B.1.b.(v), B.2.a., B.2.b.(v), and D.1. Similar to S. calcicola , this species is an obligate limestone mesophyte and is vulnerable to habitat destruction resulting from quarrying activities.

Discussion:—This species has a very peculiar combination of S. durga -like lamina, S. graveolens -like labellum, S. polyphylla -like anther, S. stenophylla -like floral odour while the inflorescence consists of a single flower within a bract and a bracteole. Although it is impossible to see the potential bract arrangement from the single-flowered inflorescence, S. uniflora is considered the second species of Calcicola Group because of the relatively larger flower and the bracteole slightly longer than the bract.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Scaphochlamys uniflora. A. plant with variegation in habitat. B. plant without variegation in habitat. C. lamina, adaxial surface. D. lamina, abaxial surface. E. inflorescence, artificially opened showing bract and bracteole. F.flower, front view. G. flower, side view. H. flower, artificially opened, note labellum. I. stamen, note anther spurs. All from OIH82.