Glossocarya crenata H.R.Fletcher

Bongcheewin, B. & Paton, A., 2023, A taxonomic revision of Glossocarya (Lamiaceae: Ajugoideae) in Thailand, Blumea 68 (1), pp. 52-62 : 58-59

1. Glossocarya crenata H.R.Fletcher — Fig. 1 , 5a ; Map 1

Glossocarya crenata H.R. Fletcher (1938a) 205. — Lectotype (designated here): Lakshnakara 1053 (lecto E [E 01121762]; isolecto BK [ SN267567 ], BM [ BM000950229 ], LL n.v.), Thailand, Kon Ken (Khon Kaen).

Woody climber, up to 5 m high. Stems quadrangular with fine longitudinal grooves,dark brown, pubescent with short soft hairs. Leaves broadly ovate or ovate, 25–40(–70) by 20–35(–45) mm, apex obtuse, base subcordate or rounded, margins crenate or shallowly crenate or subentire-undulate; upper surface pubescent with short hairs on major veins and with yellow sessile glands; lower surface with glandular punctate dots; petioles 7–9 mm long, densely pubescent with short brownish hairs. Inflorescence terminal, 40–110 by 70–120 mm, cymes slightly compact, few-flowered; bracts obovate, 5–15 mm long, pubes- cent with short hairs and yellow punctate dots on both surfaces; bracteoles lanceolate or linear, 2–5 mm long. Flowering calyx obconical, 3–3.5 mm long, pubescent with short hairs on veins and yellow glandular punctate dots outside, glabrous inside; tube 2–2.5 mm diam at top; lobes equal, triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, apex acute or broadly acute. Fruiting calyx triangularobconical, 3.5–4 mm long; tube c. 3.5 mm diam at top, densely tomentose with short and long white hairs and pale yellow glandular punctate dots outside, glabrous inside; lobes trun- cate with minutely apiculate apex. Corolla white, tube whitish brown; tube 7–8 mm long, sparsely pubescent with short hairs and yellowish glands outside, glabrous inside; lobes 5, almost regular, obovate, subequal, densely pubescent with short soft white hairs and yellowish hairs outside, glabrous inside; anterior lobe c. 4 by 2 mm, apex rounded, margins entire or slightly undulate; other lobes c. 3 by 2 mm, apex rounded or broadly acute, margins entire or slightly undulate. Stamens inserted at corolla throat; filaments 13–15(–17) mm long, glabrous above, sparsely pubescent with short hairs at base; anthers oblong, c. 0.8 mm long, purple. Style 15–18 mm long; branches slen- der, c. 0.8 mm long. Fruit obovate-oblong, 6–8 by 2.5–3 mm, strigose with long, subadpressed hairs and yellowish white glands on the upper part and short, hispid hairs on the lower part; mericarps basally flattened with seeds only slightly shorter than the pericarp; seeds 4–6 mm long; carpophore absent.

Distribution — Thailand (North-eastern: Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen; Eastern: Surin, Ubon Ratchathani). See also under Habitat & Ecology.

Habitat & Ecology — Glossocarya crenata is found in freshwater swamp forest or in mixed deciduous forest near the riverbanks in North-eastern and Eastern Thailand. The species is endemic but it is expected to be found in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, as the downstream rivers in the Northeast Thailand are connected to the Mekong River. Flowering and fruiting: July to September.

Conservation status — Glossocarya crenata is known from several localities in Northeast Thailand and is regularly collected and observed from the natural habitat. The category of Least Concern is recommended for this species.

Specimens examined. Bongcheewin 978 (BKF, PBM), Ubon Ratchathani, Sirindhorn, Kaeng Tana National Park; Boonma s.n. (BKF [SN104037, SN064647]), Khon Kaen,Mueang,Tha Phra,Ban Wang Hin; Pradit 443 (BK), Nakhon Phanom, That Phanom; Sutheesorn 2050 (BK), Surin, Tha Tum, Thung Kula Ronghai; Thangthong 1211 (BKF, K, PBM), Ubon Ratchathani, Warin Chamrab, Ban Nong Kin Phen.

Notes — 1. Glossocarya crenata is an easily distinguished species by having broadly ovate or ovate leaves with crenate or shallowly crenate or subentire-undulate margins and glandular punctate dots on the lower surface. The crenate margins are seen from two collections (Lakshnakara 1053, the type specimen, and Sutheesorn 2025), which were collected from seasonally dry habitats, but the other collections with shallowly crenate or subentire-undulate margins are collected from freshwater swamp forests or near the riverbanks.

2. Fletcher (1938a) did not specify which herbarium speci- men he used in the protologue, however, Fletcher worked at E. Therefore, the specimen at E is selected as the lectotype. The collector number of the type is actually Lakshnakara 1053 not 1083 as mistakenly mentioned in the protologue .

Figures

Fig. 1 Glossocarya crenata H.R.Fletcher. a. Habit, indicated by red arrows; b–c. inflorescence; d. infructescence. — Photos: a, c. Bhanubong Bongcheewin, b, d. Jakrapong Thangthong.

Fig. 5 Fruit morphology of Glossocarya showing fruits and mericarps. a. G. crenata H.R.Fletcher; b. G. longiflora H.R.Fletcher; c. G. mollis Wall. ex Griff. with carpophores showing front view (left), side view (right); d. G. premnoides Ridl.; e. G. siamensis Craib (a: Tangthong 1121, BKF; b: Lakshnakara 284, BK; c: Bongcheewin 1129, PBM; d. Maxwell 87­234, BK; e. Kerr 4502, BK). — Scale bars: 5 mm.