Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nrDNA sequences of 42 accessions
(representing 28 species) of Aframomum revealed an unusually low
level of sequence variation, suggesting a recent radiation of the genus in
Africa. The sample of species analysed includes all the main morphological
variation and is based on wide geographical sampling. The Aframomum
sequences varied from 187bp to 190bp (ITS 1) and 215bp to 216bp (ITS 2). Pair-wise
sequence difference between accessions varied from 0% (e.g. A.
luteoalbum and A. thonneri) to 2.74% (e.g. A. sp.
nov. B to A. pseudostipulare). This contrasts with a comparable
data set for the SE Asian genus Alpinia in the same tribe (Alpineae) in which maximum pair-wise difference is six times greater (range 0.5–15.6%).
A parsimony analysis of the in-group and out-group taxa supports the monophyly
of the genus Aframomum, but does not resolve the relationships between
the in-group species. Four putative multi-species groups, however, have some
jackknife support. The species sampled vary greatly in vegetative, floral
and fruit characters. This morphological variation is not reflected in the
ITS sequence data. This may be a result of rapid radiation under conditions
of Pleistocene climatic change and effective dispersal of seeds by primates.
Based on studies of types and recent collections, the number of species of Etlingera Giseke in the Philippines is doubled from eight to 16. Three species (Etlingera alba, E. brevilabrum and E. sessilanthera) are reported here for the first time, E. pandanicarpa is synonymised with the Bornean E. fimbriobracteata, and four new combinations (E. bulusanensis, E. linearifolia, E. pubimarginata and E. subviridis) and one new name (E. pilosa) are published here. Nine lectotypifications are proposed, of which three represent second-step designations. About two-thirds of the species are currently thought to be endemic, but future fieldwork is likely to result in more species of Etlingera in the Philippines, either endemic or as new records from neighbouring islands.
Pyrene and pollen morphology of several neo‐ and paleotropical Geophila species is documented and discussed. Pyrenes show distinct morphological variation. They have one central or several adaxial ribs and are straight or twisted. Neotropical species only have twisted pyrenes, whereas Madagascan species have straight ones. Both pyrene types occur on the tropical African mainland and in tropical Asia. The genus is eurypalynous, including inaperturate, colpate and pantoporate pollen. The paper includes the first record of operculate pollen in the Rubiaceae, viz. in Geophila repens var. repens. Pyrenes as well as pollen morphology indicate that the varieties of the pantropical species G. repens need recognition at the specific level.
Two new Orchidantha species discovered in Sarawak, O. micrantha and O. megalantha, are described and illustrated. They may well represent the species with the smallest and the largest flowers currently known in the genus and certainly from Borneo. With its small flowers, O. micrantha is similar to O. borneensis to which it is compared. The large-flowered O. megalantha is compared to the morphologically closest species, O. holttumii, from nearby Brunei. The conservation status of both new species is assessed and a key is provided to all Bornean species.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.