Temu Bosuang (Boesenbergia bosuangii), Temu Gana-gana (Boesenbergia ganaensis) and Temu Gokusing (Boesenbergia gokusingii)

NEWS - Researchers from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia in Kepong and the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh have identified three new species, Temu Bosuang (Boesenbergia bosuangii), Temu Gana-gana (Boesenbergia ganaensis) and Temu Gokusing (Boesenbergia gokusingii).

B. bosuangii is similar to B. stenophylla R.M.Sm. in its narrow-oval lamina but differs in the shape of its bract and calyx. The species is endemic to Borneo, Sabah. The specific epithet is given by Dr Steven Bosuang, owner of Kipandi Park, an entomologist who works on insect and plant conservation in Sabah.

The new species grows in riverine areas in mixed dipterocarp forests at elevations of 50-300 metres and flowers in August. The researchers have proposed the status Vulnerable VU D1 due to its small population, limited space outside protected areas and potential threats from development, landslides and flooding.

B. ganaensis is closely related to B. burttiana R.M.Sm. but differs in the absence of ligule, longer petiole, blunt leaf base, pointed leaf tip, bilobed calyx and anthers peeled off by pores. This species is endemic to Kalimantan, Sabah.

The specific epithet refers to the location where the species was collected in Kampung Gana-gana, Ranau. This plant grows in granite areas at an elevation of 500-600 meters. The researchers proposed the conservation status Vulnerable (VU D2) because there are only four populations at the type site.

B. gokusingii is similar to B. variegata R.M.Sm., in that it has single-leafed shoots but differs in having unequal oblong laminae, heart-shaped leaf base, pointed leaf tip and anthers peeled off by pores. This species is endemic to Kalimantan, Sabah.

The specific epithet is based on Mr. Linus Gokusing from Kipandi Park who collected this plant in 2011. His passion for plants has provided useful information to the public. This species is in mixed dipterocarp forest at an elevation of 500-600 meters. Vulnerable status (VU D2) because it is only in the type location with 3-6 populations in each location.

Original research

Lam NF, Ibrahim H, Sam YY, Mohammad Zakaria R, Poulsen AD (2024) Three new species of Boesenbergia (Zingiberaceae) from Sabah, Malaysia. PhytoKeys 247: 39-53, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.107961

Dlium theDlium

Korean mulberry (Morus indica)

Murbei or Korean mulberry ( Morus indica ) is a species of plant in Moraceae, shrub or small tree, up to 10 meters tall, slow growing, cylindrical stem, light brown with white nodules, M. indica has heart-shaped or oval-shaped leaves and sometimes three-lobed, 4-12.5 cm long, 2.5-7.5 cm wide, pointed tip, serrated margin, green and has a stalk. Monoecious inflorescences with male and female grow on the same tree, though often on different branches. Male flowers have a size of 9-11.5 mm and are covered with fine hairs. The female flowers are subglubose or only round in shape, measuring 6-9.5 mm. Stigma is 3.5 mm long with short, thick hair. The female flowers form compound fruit and are fleshy, green and white-haired to white, red and black when ripe. Korean mulberry is used in regulating blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Moraceae Genus: Morus Species: Morus indica

Thomas Sutikna lives with Homo floresiensis

BLOG - On October 28, 2004, a paper was published in Nature describing the dwarf hominin we know today as Homo floresiensis that has shocked the world. The report changed the geographical landscape of early humans that previously stated that the Pleistocene Asia was only represented by two species, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens . The report titled "A new small-bodied hominin from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia" written by Peter Brown and Mike J. Morwood from the University of New England with Thomas Sutikna, Raden Pandji Soejono, Jatmiko, E. Wahyu Saptomo and Rokus Awe Due from the National Archaeology Research Institute (ARKENAS), Indonesia, presents more diversity in the genus Homo. “Immediately, my fever vanished. I couldn’t sleep well that night. I couldn’t wait for sunrise. In the early morning we went to the site, and when we arrived in the cave, I didn’t say a thing because both my mind and heart couldn’t handle this incredible moment. I just went down...

Swietenia mahagoni and Swietenia macrophylla, the differences

SPECIES HEAD TO HEAD - To date, mahogany ( Swietenia Jacq.) is recorded as having four species: West Indian mahogany or small-leaved mahogany ( Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq.), big-leaf mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla King), Honduran mahogany ( Swietenia humilis Zucc.) and Swietenia × aubrevilleana Stehlé & Cusin. The debate over the number of taxa in the genus is still not resolved. Some researchers believe that there are only two species: S. mahagoni and S. macrophylla . I agree with that opinion and the two species can only be differentiated by the size of the leaves. All species in this genus have similar morphology except for leaf size. The following is the key to identifying these two species. S. mahagoni has a stalk length of around 37 cm with 5-6 pairs of strands. The strands are about 10 cm long and about 3.5 cm wide. S. macrophylla has a stalk length of up to 45 cm with 4-5 pairs of strands. The strands are up to 31 cm long and up to 8 cm wide. By Aryo Bando...

Dlium