Platanthera dulongensis X.H.Jin & Efimov, Nordic J. Bot.

Abstract, Prasad K. & Rich., Platanthera, 2023, The genus Platanthera (Orchidaceae) in India with two new species, Rheedea 33 (2), pp. 31-52 : 46

Platanthera dulongensis X.H.Jin & Efimov, Nordic J. Bot. 30(3): 294. 2012. Type: CHINA, Yunnan, Gongshan County, Dulong river , 2800 m, 18.08.2006, X.H. Jin 8386 (holo PE [ PE2280338 digital image!]).

Platanthera fugongensis Ormerod, Taiwania 58(1): 29. 2013. Type: CHINA, Yunnan Province, Fugong Xian, Lishadi Xian, Yaduo Cun, above Shidali along the North side of South fork of Yam He, East side of Gaoligong Shan, 2620 m, 15.08.2005, Gaoligong Shan Biodiversity Survey Team 28318 (holo CAS).

Distribution: India , China and Nepal.

Specimen examined: INDIA , Arunachal Pradesh, Anjaw District, Delei River , 28.08.1925, Kingdon-Ward 8584 ( K digital image) .

Notes: To date, there is no specimen available in Indian herbaria of this species. The single specimen available at K was collected by Kingdon-Ward in 1925 from Arunachal Pradesh. Recently, Swami (2019) reported it from Singalila National Park (West Bengal) with good images but no specimens are collected .

Platanthera orbicularis (Hook.f.) X.H.Jin, Schuit. & Raskoti, PhytoKeys 79: 72. 2017. Herminium orbiculare Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 130. 1890, Icon. Pl. 22: t. 2199b. 1894. Monorchis orbicularis (Hook.f.) O.Schwarz, Mitt. Thuring. Bot. Ges. 1: 95. 1949. Peristylus orbicularis (Hook.f.) Agrawala, H.J.Chowdhery & S.Choudhury, Kew Bull. 65: 106. 2010. Lectotype (designated here): INDIA or CHINA, Sikkim Himalaya, Chumbi valley, Rungboo (Kungboo), 08.07.1884, King’s collector 164 (K [K000079022 digital image!]; isolecto CAL [CAL0000001003!, CAL0000001004!]).

Distribution: India , Bhutan, China and Nepal.

Specimens examined: INDIA , Sikkim, Dikehu valley, 11-12000 ft., 23.07.1910, Smith 3757 (CAL); Sikkim Himalaya, 10000 ft., September 1894, Pantling 348 (CAL). West Bengal, Darjeeling district, Singalila Range, 12000 ft., July 1896, Pantling 374 (CAL).

Notes: Hooker (1890) described this species under Herminium as H. orbiculare based on a specimen collected by King, 1884. Later, it was transferred to Peristylus by Agrawala et al. (2010) based on the presence of a short spur and column structure. Recent molecular systematics ( Jin et al., 2017) concluded that it should be placed under the genus Platanthera , as P. orbicularis .

Three specimens were collected from Chumbi valley , Rungboo which were labelled as “Type Material”, one at Kew ( K000079022 ), and two at CAL ( CAL0000001003 , CAL0000001004 ) and all these specimens can be considered as syntypes . Pearce and Cribb (2002) and Agrawala et al. (2010) mentioned the Rungboo material as holotype but it is only the right of the original author to designate any specimen as holotype and this was not done by Hooker. Since it was done after 2001, and they did not use ‘designated here’, it is not valid, and lectotypification is necessary here. One of these specimens, K000079022 , with the annotations and drawings of dissected parts by Hooker is designated here as the lectotype .