Amorphophallus kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm.

Naive, M. A. K., Hein, K. Z. & Hetterscheid, W., 2022, Taxonomic studies of Araceae in Myanmar IV: A new species, a new record and a new synonym for the genus Amorphophallus, Blumea 67 (2), pp. 123-128 : 127-128

Amorphophallus kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm.

Amorphophallus kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm. in Engl. (1911) 91. — Type: Shaik Mokim s.n. (holo CAL [ CAL0000001398 -image!]), Myanmar, Kachin Hills , 20 May 1898.

Amorphophallus corrugatus N.E.Br. (1912) 269. — Type: A.F.G. Kerr 1105 (holo K [ K000291454 -image!]), Thailand, Chiengmai, Doi Sootep, 1500 m, syn. nov.

Amorphophallus bannanensis H. Li (1988) 209, pl. 1 (1–8). — Type: Li Heng 1106 (holo KUN), China, Yunnan prov., Menhai Xian ,elev. 1100 m, 1Apr.1986 .

Thomsonia sutepensis S.Y. Hu (1968) 443, pl. 6 (f. 26–34); Bogner (1976) 19. — Type: SØrensen, Larsen & Hansen FOT 2612 (holo C, spirit coll.; iso A), Thailand, Chiengmai, Payap, Doi Sutep, alt. 1100 m, 7 Apr. 1958.

Notes — In the Araceae treatment in Flora of Thailand ( Hetterscheid 2012) and Flora of China ( Li & Hetterscheid 2010), A. corrugatus was still recognized as a proper species. However, the third author of the present paper now proposes that the names A. corrugatus and A. kachinensis represent one and the same species, based on a new insight regarding the one character that was believed to differ enough in both species to accept their separate species status. Recent observations and a re-evaluation of this character (the surface structure of the appendix) lead the third author to conclude that his ear- lier opinion must now be abandoned in favour of considering A. corrugatus to be a redescription of A. kachinensis , the last name being the priorable one. The most relevant observations leading to the new conclusion is seen in a series of photographs ( Fig. 3 ) showing all intermediate stages between the typical, brain-like convolutions of the appendix surface of A. corrugatus , to the few, vertical, deep fissures of the appendix surface of A. kachinensis s.str.

Figures

Fig. 3 Amorphophallus kachinensis ‘morphing’ to ‘A. corrugatus’ a. Typical appendix of A. kachinensis s.str.; b. appendix with furrows and a few convo- lutions at the top of the ridges; c. appendix with furrows and more convolutions than in e; d. appendix with furrows and many convolutions (ridges brain like); e. appendix with only shallow furrows, otherwise brain-like; f. appendix all brain-like, typical of ‘A. corrugatus’. — Photos: a, c: Y.J. Tao; b: D. Borah; d: W. Hetterscheid; e: C.I. Peng; f: A. Galloway.