Vanoverberghia sepulchrei Merr.

Docot, R. V. A., Banag, C. I., Tandang, D. N., Funakoshi, H. & Poulsen, A. D., 2019, Recircumscription and revision of the genus Vanoverberghia (Zingiberaceae), Blumea 64 (2), pp. 140-157 : 152-154

Vanoverberghia sepulchrei Merr. — Fig. 7 , 8 ; Map 1

Vanoverberghia sepulchrei Merr. (1912) 76. — Type: M. Vanoverbergh 956 (lecto BM barcode BM001209990 , designated here; isolecto US), Philippines, Luzon, Mountain Province, Bontoc , 19 Oct. 1910.

Etymology. The specific epithet honours Father Jules Sepulchre (1880– 1912),who established the Bauko Mission,and rendered assistance to Father Vanoverbergh during his botanical explorations in Mountain Province.

Terrestrial herb in loose or dense clumps. Rhizome 3–4 cm across, red, strongly aromatic when cut, scales thick, brown. Leafy shoot erect to drooping, pseudostem 4–8 m long, base bulbose, red; sheaths glabrous, mid-green; ligule ovate, 7–13 by 6 –10 mm, coriaceous, glabrous, red, apex rounded and entire; petiole terete, subsessile or c. 10 mm long, red, glabrous; lamina oblong, 30–45 by 12–17 cm, largest are located in the superior portion, obscure, dark green above, lighter beneath, glabrous on both side, base rounded, margin entire, apex caudate with 3–5 cm long flagellate tip. Inflorescence 18–30 cm long; peduncle terete, 8–20 cm long, glabrous, deep red, subtended by 2–3 persistent bracts; rachis 6–12 cm long, glabrous, deep red; pedicel 2–5 mm long, glabrous, red to pink; floral bract spathaceous, tubular and pubescent at base, 25–30 by 15–20 mm when flattened, pinkish white at base and brown at pubescent apex; flower bud cylindrical; flowers congested along rachis, numerous, white; calyx funnel-shaped, 15–20 mm long, glabrous, white, apex 2–3-dentate, pubescent; corolla tube 12–16 mm long, glabrous, white; dorsal corolla lobe linear-oblong, 22– 27 by 5 –6 mm, glabrous, white, apex rounded, cucullate with a small cleft in the middle; lateral corolla lobes linear-oblong, 20–32 by 4–5 mm, glabrous, white, apex rounded and cucullate; labellum connate to base of lateral corolla lobes, free part bifid, lobes subulate, 17–23 by 1–2 mm, glabrous, white, base pubescent, apices of lobes entire; lateral staminodes filiform, 5–8 mm long, pubescent, white; filament enclosing style for almost half its length above labellum, 30–35 by 3–6 mm, glandular, white; anther oblong, 15–20 by 4–5 mm, cream-white, crestless; style 4–5 cm long, glabrous, white with spots; stigma cupular, 1–2 mm wide, white, ostiole elliptic, margin hispid; epigynous glands compressed, subglobose, c. 1 mm long; ovary subglobose, 4–5 by 2–3 mm, coriaceous, glabrous, deep red. Fruit ellipsoid to subglobose, 21–26 by 13–18 mm, coriaceous, glabrous, deep red when mature, calyx persistent. Seed subglobose, brown with white aril.

Local names & Uses — Agbab (Bontoc language), akbab (Bontoc), barapat (Igorot), paddapad (Igorot) and chakchakil (Igorot). The fruits of V. sepulchrei are eaten by the locals of Mountain Province and reported to have a sweet and sour flavour ( Docot et al. 2016).

Phenology & Ecology — Flowering is between September and January. Fruiting starts in February. Anthesis occurs by day, pollination is by bees (pers. obs.).

Distribution & Habitat — Vanoverberghia sepulchrei is endemic in the Philippines, and particularly abundant in the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province and Sorsogon within primary forests along streams and ravines at 700–1600 m.

Additional specimens examined. PHILIPPINES, Luzon, A.D. E. Elmer s.n. ( NY), s.lat.; P. T. Barnes 947 ( SING), Benguet,May-June 1904; A.D. E. Elmer 8560 ( BO, K, SING, US), Benguet , Baguio, Mar. 1907 ; E. Fenix 12913 ( K), Benguet , Baguio, Dec. 1910 ; M. Ramos & G. Edaño 45045 ( BM, BO, P, SING), Benguet , Baguio, Mar. 1925 ; H. C. Conklin & Buwaya I­984 ( K, L [2 sheets], PNH), Ifugao , Banaue, Bayninan, 6 Mar. 1963 ; M. Vanoverbergh 956 ( BM), Mountain Province , Bontoc, Aug. 1911 ; M. Vanoverbergh 956 ( P [2 sheets]), Mountain Province , Bontoc, Sept. 1913 ; R. V. A. Docot 0001 ( USTH [2 sheets]), Mountain Province , Bontoc , Barangay Alab Oriente, Mount Data, 1 Nov. 2013 ; R. V. A. Docot 0027 ( USTH [3 sheets] incl. spirit), Mountain Province , Bontoc , Barangay Alab Oriente, Mount Data, N17°03'57.6" E120°57'12.1", 1430 m, 9 Jan. 2016 ; R. V. A. Docot 0122 ( NY, PNH, USTH incl.spirit), Mountain Province , Bontoc , Barangay Alab Oriente, Mount Data, 5 Nov. 2017 ; A.D. E. Elmer 17095 ( BM [2 sheets], BO, K, P, S, US), Sorsogon , Irosin, Mount Bulusan, Aug. 1916 ; A.D. E. Elmer 17383 ( BM [3 sheets], BO, K, P, US), Sorsogon , Irosin, Mount Bulusan, Sept. 1916 ; R. V. A. Docot 0133 ( USTH), Sorsogon, Irosin, Barangay Cogon , Mount Bulusan, N12°45'51.0" E124°02'01.7", 801 m, 6 June 2018 ; R. V. A. Docot 0198 ( FEUH, USTH), Sorsogon, Casiguran , Barangay Inalgadian, Mount Bulusan, N12°47'26.5" E124°03'44.5", 700 m, 27 Oct. 2018 ; R. V. A. Docot 0209 ( FEUH incl. spirit, USTH), Sorsogon , Casiguran , Barangay Inalgadian, Mount Bulusan, N12°46'37.9" E124°04'07.7", 860 m, 27 Oct. 2018 . – Cultivated material: Hawaii, Honolulu, Lyon Arboretum. Anon L­87.0651 ( E [4 sheets], US),1995; J. Mood 46 ( E), 15 June 1998 ; J. Mood 47 ( E), 15 June 1998 ; W. J. Kress 95­5562 ( US [2 sheets]), 16 July 1995 .

Note — Like V. vanoverberghii , the type (M. Vanoverbergh 953) does not represent a single gathering. Merrill (1912) mentioned two dates in the protologue, 19 October 1910 (flowering specimen) and 17 August 1911 (fruiting specimen). We have located flowering material with non-conflicting collecting dates at two herbaria and designated the type at BM as the lectotype since this specimen has superior vegetative and flowering material. It also has what appears to be an original label whereas the carpological collection at the same herbarium has a written label also saying ‘ October 1910 ’. These clearly mature fruits obviously must originate from a different sheet and because the protologue mentions the mature fruits being of a different gathering, it will remain as a syntype, together with specimens at P with a label saying ‘ September 1913 ’.

Figures

Map 1 Distribution of Vanoverberghia diversifolia Elmer (▲), V. rubrobracteata Docot & Ambida (★), V. sasakiana Funak. & H.Ohashi (◆); V. sepulchrei Merr. (■) and V. vanoverberghii (Merr.) Funak. & Docot (●).

Fig. 7 Vanoverberghia sepulchrei Merr. a. Flower at anthesis; b. bract; c. calyx; d. dorsal corolla lobe; e. lateral corolla lobes; f. anther (side view); g. stamen with lateral staminodes; h. labellum; i. stigma (all: R.V.A. Docot 0122). — Drawn from material in spirit by P.G. Campos.

Fig. 8 Vanoverberghia sepulchrei Merr.a.Ligule; b. inflorescence;c.flower at anthesis;d. infructescence (all: R.V.A. Docot 0027). — Photos:a–d. R.V.A.Docot.