NEWS - Researchers report six species new to science in the genus Globba L. 1771 (Zingiberaceae Martinov 1820): Globba corniculata, Globba paschimbengalensis, Globba polymorpha, Globba tyrnaensis, Globba janakiae and Globba yadaviana collected from the Eastern Himalayas (West Bengal) and North-East India.
%20from%20Eastern%20Himalayas%20and%20Northeast%20India.webp "Six new species of Globba L. (Zingiberaceae) from Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India")
Ritu Yadav and Vinita Gowda of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh describe the detailed morphology of the six new species along with photographic plates, distribution maps, provisional conservation assessments, dichotomous identification keys for all Indian Globbas and the relationships of the new species to other morphologically similar species.
G. corniculata is morphologically similar to G. ruiliensis and G. multiflora, but differs in having petiolate leaves, narrow ovate-oblong, absence of bracteoles and bracteoles of inflorescences, orange flowers, cuneate labellum with cornicles, long pedicels, presence of bulbils throughout the inflorescence vs. petiolate, ovate to narrowly ovate leaves, presence of bracteoles and inflorescence bracteoles, yellow to orange flowers, and obcunate labellum with cornicles.
G. paschimbengalensis is morphologically similar to G. andersonii but differs in having pale white flowers with a faint yellow tinge, deeply notched ligules with unequal lobes, reduced or absent pedicels vs. white flowers, ligule with equal lobes and with pedicels.
G. polymorpha is morphologically similar to G. andersonii but differs in having pale yellow flowers, densely pubescent ligules with long white hairs, red or green bracteoles, large anthers (4-5 mm) compared to white flowers, ligules pubescent on the outside, white bracteoles, and small anthers (1.5 mm).
G. tyrnaensis is morphologically similar to G. orixensis and G. macroclada but differs in having short inflorescences, absence of inflorescence bracts, petiolate laminae, short filaments, large anthers vs. large inflorescences, presence of inflorescence bracts, sessile laminae, large filaments, and small anthers.
G. janakiae is morphologically similar to G. orixensis and G. macroclada but differs in having short inflorescences, absence of inflorescence bracts, petiolate laminae, short filaments, large anthers, heart-shaped labellum with cornicles vs. large inflorescences, presence of inflorescence bracts, sessile laminae, large filaments, small anthers, and labellum without cornicles.
G. yadaviana is morphologically similar to G. rahmanii, G. expansa, and G. lancangensis, but clearly differs in pod shape, absence of andromonoecy, reduced pedicels, large inflorescences, short calyx vs. oblong, oblong-ovate fruits, presence of andromonoecy, large flower stalks, small inflorescences and large calyxes.
The researchers highlighted the taxonomic challenges of collecting in the ecologically sensitive Eastern Himalayas and North-East India. The rich flora, fauna, ecology and evolutionary patterns are rarely studied due to challenges of field security, logistics, politics, accommodation and access to basic facilities such as electricity for drying herbarium specimens.
One of the difficult-to-access forest types in the north-eastern states is the sacred groves covering over 40,000 hectares of natural forest area in five states where collection of samples within these forests is restricted. This presents significant challenges in species identification as collection from these locations is prohibited.
Globba was first formally recognised from Carl Linnaeus' (1707-1778) description in Mant. Pl. 2: 143 (1771). The genus has 9 synonyms, over 140 recognised species and has a natural distribution in South Asia, South-East Asia and north-western Australia.
Original research
Yadav R, Gowda V (2024). Six new species of Globba L. (Zingiberales, Zingiberaceae) from the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India. PhytoKeys 246: 197-228, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.246.118751
%20from%20Eastern%20Himalayas%20and%20Northeast%20India.webp "Six new species of Globba L. (Zingiberaceae) from Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India")
Ritu Yadav and Vinita Gowda of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh describe the detailed morphology of the six new species along with photographic plates, distribution maps, provisional conservation assessments, dichotomous identification keys for all Indian Globbas and the relationships of the new species to other morphologically similar species.
G. corniculata is morphologically similar to G. ruiliensis and G. multiflora, but differs in having petiolate leaves, narrow ovate-oblong, absence of bracteoles and bracteoles of inflorescences, orange flowers, cuneate labellum with cornicles, long pedicels, presence of bulbils throughout the inflorescence vs. petiolate, ovate to narrowly ovate leaves, presence of bracteoles and inflorescence bracteoles, yellow to orange flowers, and obcunate labellum with cornicles.
G. paschimbengalensis is morphologically similar to G. andersonii but differs in having pale white flowers with a faint yellow tinge, deeply notched ligules with unequal lobes, reduced or absent pedicels vs. white flowers, ligule with equal lobes and with pedicels.
G. polymorpha is morphologically similar to G. andersonii but differs in having pale yellow flowers, densely pubescent ligules with long white hairs, red or green bracteoles, large anthers (4-5 mm) compared to white flowers, ligules pubescent on the outside, white bracteoles, and small anthers (1.5 mm).
G. tyrnaensis is morphologically similar to G. orixensis and G. macroclada but differs in having short inflorescences, absence of inflorescence bracts, petiolate laminae, short filaments, large anthers vs. large inflorescences, presence of inflorescence bracts, sessile laminae, large filaments, and small anthers.
G. janakiae is morphologically similar to G. orixensis and G. macroclada but differs in having short inflorescences, absence of inflorescence bracts, petiolate laminae, short filaments, large anthers, heart-shaped labellum with cornicles vs. large inflorescences, presence of inflorescence bracts, sessile laminae, large filaments, small anthers, and labellum without cornicles.
G. yadaviana is morphologically similar to G. rahmanii, G. expansa, and G. lancangensis, but clearly differs in pod shape, absence of andromonoecy, reduced pedicels, large inflorescences, short calyx vs. oblong, oblong-ovate fruits, presence of andromonoecy, large flower stalks, small inflorescences and large calyxes.
The researchers highlighted the taxonomic challenges of collecting in the ecologically sensitive Eastern Himalayas and North-East India. The rich flora, fauna, ecology and evolutionary patterns are rarely studied due to challenges of field security, logistics, politics, accommodation and access to basic facilities such as electricity for drying herbarium specimens.
One of the difficult-to-access forest types in the north-eastern states is the sacred groves covering over 40,000 hectares of natural forest area in five states where collection of samples within these forests is restricted. This presents significant challenges in species identification as collection from these locations is prohibited.
Globba was first formally recognised from Carl Linnaeus' (1707-1778) description in Mant. Pl. 2: 143 (1771). The genus has 9 synonyms, over 140 recognised species and has a natural distribution in South Asia, South-East Asia and north-western Australia.
Original research
Yadav R, Gowda V (2024). Six new species of Globba L. (Zingiberales, Zingiberaceae) from the Eastern Himalayas and Northeast India. PhytoKeys 246: 197-228, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.246.118751