Bulbophyllum stenobulbon (Orchidaceae).A new record for the Manipur state, India

Kangjam Tilotama1*, D.S. Thokchom1, 2 & Tanriangbou Abonmei1

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1Centre for Orchid Gene Conservation of Eastern Himalayan Region (COGCEHR), OrchidResearch and Development Centre (ORDC), Hengbung, P.O. Kangpokpi - 795 129, Manipur,India.2Ethno-Medicinal Research Centre (EMRC), Hengbung, P.O. Kangpokpi – 795 129, Manipur,India.*Corresponding author: tilotamakangjam@gmail.com________________________________

AbstractBulbophyllum stenobulbon C.S.P.Parish & Reichenbach f. is reported here forthe first time as an addition to the orchid flora of Manipur, India. Adetailed description and a photographic plate are provided for its easyidentification in future.

RésuméLa découverte de Bulbophyllum stenobulbon C.S.P.Parish & Reichenbach f.dans l'état de Manipur (Inde) est rapportée ici pour la première fois et cetteespèce vient s'ajouter à la flore de l'état. Pour faciliter son identification lorsde futures collectes, une description détaillée et une planche dephotographies sont proposées.

Keywords: Bulbophyllum, flora, IUCN, orchid, taxonomyMots-clés : Bulbophyllum, flore, IUCN, orchidées, taxinomie.

Manuscrit reçu le 25/10/2019 Article mis en ligne le 03/12/2019 – pp. 117-123

IntroductionThe genus Bulbophyllum Thouars (1822: 3) belongs to the subfamilyEpidendroideae, Tribe Malaxideae, Subtribe Dendrobiinae (Chase et al.,2015). The genus consists of ca. 2069 species (plantsoftheworldonline, 2019)worldwide, which are distributed mainly in tropical areas of Old and NewWorlds (Chen & Vermeulen, 2009). In India the genus is represented by ca.100 species, in which ca. 75 species and 3 varieties are located in North EastIndia (Misra, 2007; Chowlu et al., 2013 & 2015) and ca. 32 species inManipur (Chowlu et al., 2015).While working on the orchid flora of the Eastern Himalayan Region, thisinteresting orchid was collected from Hengbung, Kangpokpi District,Manipur, in August 2018. After critical morpho-taxonomic investigationand consultation of literature (Reichenbach, 1874; Kuntze, 1891; King &Pantling, 1895 & 1898; Hu & Barretto, 1976; Augustine et al., 2001;Lucksom, 2007; Chen & Vermeulen, 2009), the specimen has been identifiedas Bulbophyllum stenobulbon C.S.P.Parish & Reichenbach f. (1874: 30).Review of different literature (Hooker, 1890; Mukerjee, 1953; Deb, 1961;Ghatak & Devi, 1986; Karthikeyan et al., 1989; Chauhan, 2001; SathishKumar & Suresh Kumar 2005; Chowlu et al., 2013, 2014 & 2015; Mao &Deori, 2018; Rao & Kumar, 2018) revealed that the taxa was not yetrecorded from the Manipur state. So, this species is reported here for thefirst time as an addition to the orchid flora. A detailed description withupdated nomenclature, a photographic plate, phenology, distribution andchromosome number is provided to facilitate easy identification andcollection in future.

Taxonomic treatmentBulbophyllum stenobulbon C.S.P.Parish & Reichenbach f. in Transactionsof the Linnean Society of London. London 30: 153. 1874; Lucksom, OrchidsSikkim & North East Himalaya: 698. t.431. 2007; Chen & J.J. Vermeulen,Flora of China 22: 413. 2009. Phyllorkis stenobulbon (C.S.P.Parish &Reichenbach f.) Kuntze, Revisio Generum Plantarum 2: 678. 1891. – Type:Myanmar, Mawlamyine, s. d., E.C. Parish, s. n. [Type K, n.v.]. Bulbophyllumclarkeanum King & Pantling in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.Calcutta 64: 333. 1895; King & Pantling in Annals of the Royal BotanicGarden Calcutta 8: 82. t.114.1898; Augustine et al., Orchids India – II:Biodiversity & Status Bulbophyllum: 24. 2001. – Type: India, Western Dooar

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of Bhutan, Kumai Forest near the Jaldacca River, alt. 1500 ft, June, 1890. R.Pantling, 319 [Lectotype (designated here) K (K000829170), digital image!].Bulbophyllum youngsayeanum S.Y.Hu & Barretto in Chung Chi Journal 13(2):29. 1976. – Type: China, Hong Kong, s. d., Shiu Ying Hu & R. Clibborn-Dyer12052 [Holotype K (K000810988), digital image!].

Description (Fig. 1). Plant epiphytic. Rhizome creeping, 0.5-1.2 mm indiameter, branched, naked, rooting from base, roots spreading.Pseudobulbs cylindrical to ovoid-cylindrical, 0.5-1.8 × 0.3-0.7 cm, borne atan interval of 0.4-1(-3) cm, pale green. Leaf 1, lamina elliptic-oblong tooblong, 0.6-3 × 0.3-0.9 cm, obtuse and emarginate at apex, graduallytapering towards base or sub-sessile; petiole 1-2.5 mm long. Inflorescence ashort raceme, umbel-like, 1.2-3.3 cm long, erect bearing 2-3 flowers;peduncle 1.2-3 cm long, smooth, covered with 1-4 lanceolate, concave, 3-4 mm long sheathing bracts; rachis 0.4-2.5 mm long, smooth. Floral bracterect, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, subulate, 1.8-3 × 0.5-0.8 mm, subacuteto acute at apex, glabrous, persistent, pale whitish green. Pedicel and ovarydull whitish green to dark yellowish, 1.8-3.6 × 0.2-0.5 mm, glabrous, moreor less ribbed. Flowers 6-8 mm long, glabrous, whitish yellow, tinged withorange-yellow, spreading. Sepals free, sub-equal, lanceolate, 3-nerved,fleshy towards apex, spreading, margins more or less incurved towardsapex, whitish yellow, tinged with orange-yellow; dorsal sepal lanceolate toovate-lanceolate, 3.7-5 × 1-1.3 mm, long acuminate at apex, broadertowards base, slightly concave, arched over column; lateral sepalslanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3.8-5.5 × 0.7-1 mm, long acuminate at apex,broader towards base, base adnate to column foot forming a mentum.Petals ovate-oblong, 2.2-2.6 × 0.7-1 mm, acute to sub-obtuse at apex,glabrous, translucent, entire at margins, 1-3-nerved, white, tinged withorange-yellow towards apex. Labellum ligulate to ovate-oblong, 1.8-2.3 × 0.4-0.6 mm, obtuse to subacute and recurved at apex, 1-3-nerved,lateral nerves faint, decurved from the thickened grooved basal portion;abaxially with fine papillae, adaxially narrower with 3 longitudinal ridges,lateral ridges thickened and slightly raised, fleshy, yellow. Column stout,cylindrical, 0.8-1 mm long; stelidia subulate, 0.3-0.5 mm long; foot slightlyupcurved, 0.8-1.2 mm long. Anther cap short, orbicular, 0.3-0.6 × 0.3-0.6 mm, mucronate at apex, 2-celled, cream. Pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, veryunequal, inner two very small, suborbicular, 0.2-0.4 × 0.1-0.2 mm, yellow.

Bulbophyllum stenobulbon in Manipur (India) – Tilotama et al.

Fig. 1. Bulbophyllum stenobulbon C.S.P.Parish & Reichenbach f.A. Habit; B. Inflorescence; C. Floral bract; D. Flower; E. Dorsal sepal; F-G. Lateral sepals;H-I. Petals; J. Labellum with ovary; K. Labellum; L. Column and ovary with anther cap;M. Anther cap; N. Pollinia (Ph. Kangjam Tilotama)

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Flowering: June-September.

Distribution: INDIA [Manipur (present study), Sikkim, W. Bengal (Darjeeling district)]; BHUTAN, CHINA, LAOS, MYANMAR, THAILAND, VIETNAM (Chen & Vermeulen, 2009). (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Global distribution of Bulbophyllum stenobulbon

Specimen examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kangpokpi district, Hengbung, 25º

41ꞌ 12.78ꞌꞌ N, 094º 00ꞌ 06.48ꞌꞌ E, 1178 m, 10.09.2018, K. Tilotama Devi & T.Abonmei 00221 (COGCEHR).

Chromosome number: 2n = 38 (Chen & Vermeulen 2009).

IUCN Status: Not evaluated yet by IUCN (2019) but mentionned as veryrare by Lucksom (2007).

Bulbophyllum stenobulbon in Manipur (India) – Tilotama et al.

AcknowledgementAuthors are thankful to Mr. Haokholet Kipgen, President, Foundation forEnvironment and Economic Development Services, Hengbung, for facilityand encouragement; to the SERB division of the Department of Science andTechnology, Government of India, New Delhi for financial support to carryout the study on orchids of the Eastern Himalayan Region {DST No.SR/SW/ MISSION-SOC-1/2016 (G)}. We also thank Seiboi Kipgen for hisassistance in the field tour.

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Bulbophyllum stenobulbon in Manipur (India) – Tilotama et al.