Two new species of Utricularia in Thailand

[Andreas Fleischmann]

Dear CP-fans,

Here are some photographs of two recently described species of Utricularia, which I both found in the northern part of Thailand on a botanical expedition in september/october 2005.

Utricularia jackii J. Parn. 2005 was described by John Parnell in Thai Forrest Bulletin 33, 2005*). This perennial plant is related to U. vitellina and somewhat similar to the widespread and variable U. scandens. Type location is Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand, at 2200m altitude.

The plant was named in honour of Parnell's father "John ('Jack') Thomas Mackie Parnell" (no need to tell that he's and irish botanist, haha! ;)).

It was described from a herbarium specimen collected in 1927 from Peter Taylor's collection at Kew herbarium. These are the first documents of living plants of that species. Enjoy! ;)

The other species, Utricularia babui Yadav, Sardesai & Gaikwad 2005*) was described from the Western Ghats of India (a place with a high number of endemic species of Utricularia!), where it grows as a perennial plant in altitudes of 700-900m. It's very closely related to U. graminifolia, but differing in thin filiform leaves having only one central nerve (three nerves in U. graminifolia) and it's remarkable for its deep ink blue flowers (unfortunately only a very short note on flower colour in the type description). It's named after Prof. Babu from the University of Delhi.

I found both new species growing together on the highest mountain of Thailand, Doi Inthanon (old name: Doi Angka), Chiang Mai Province, at 1670 m elevation. They were growing in an alpine meadow on granitic wet cliffs. These seepage habitats are a very good spot for CPs, and U. babui and U. jackii where growing together with Drosera peltata (the "D. lunata form"), Utricularia striatula and U. furcellata (new for Thailand, so far only known from the Himalayas! But the Doi Inthanon range is well known for being the southernmost range of several himalayan floral elements) in bunches of grass over wet rocks. Accompanied by "typical CP-indicator plants", i.e. plants of nutrient poor acidid soils, like several species of Eriocaulaceae, Gentianaceae, Cyperaceae as well as Xyris lobbii and the newly described mycotrophic Burmannia larsenii.

Typical habitat of several CPs on Doi Inthanon. See D. peltata, U. babui (front), U. striatula (red capsules in the front), U. jackii (out of focus in the background among grasses), Eriocaulon pulchellum, Xyris lobbii and the hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae Pedicularis evradrii. It's rather cool, humid and cloudy on that mountain, the avarage day temperature was about 15°C, night temperatures can drop down to freezing (according to a local friend botanist).

We where well aware that the striking blue Utricularia is a new species when we found it in Thailand and we started writing a description for this one as well (and had chosen a better name! ;)). But the collegues from India where faster. That's life! ;)

All the best and thanks to Christian Dietz for hosting my photographs on his website!

Andreas

*)For further reading:

J.A.N. Parnell: An Account of the Lentibulariaceae of Thailand. Thai Forrest Bulletin (Botany) 33: 101-144. 2005. (Same mistakes in the dichotomous key for Utricularia than in the preceeding work of J.F. Maxwell, several species cannot be keyed out with this paper, others that are well reported for Thailand are missing in Parnell's account)

S.R. Yadav, M.M. Sardesai & S.P. Gaikwad: A New Species of Utricularia L. (Lentibulariaceae) from the Western Ghats, India. Rheedea 15(1): 71-73. 2005.

[Moritz]

Hi Andreas,

great pictures as ever!

The colour of the U. babui is amazing. It has a very special colour, like biloba also has.

[Napraforgo]

Hi Andreas,

I've seen the U.jackii's description, which was browsable online.

I never imagined that we were able to see pics of living U.jackii

that soon. I do and must appreciate your activity.

Doi Inthanon, formerly called as Doi angka, is quite exotic place

for botanists, especially for those who're interested in Utrics,

since it is the only locality of U.garrettii closely allied to U.striatula.

[gardenofeden]

great info thanks

lovely colour on the U.babui

[Greg Allan]

Thanks for this- very interesting. BTW, do those D peltata grow in permanently wed areas?

Cheers,

[JanW]

Great as usual, Andreas. Your talk was great!! Any chance to hear it again?

Thanks for this- very interesting. BTW, do those D peltata grow in permanently wed areas?

Interesting question. At least in cultivation most forms cope well with such conditions.

[radmegan]

LOVE the blue flower of the U. babui! Very interesting finds!

[JRFxtreme]

Just gotta say that the U. babui is one of the most attractive Utricularia I have ever seen!

You would think that with all the U. babui and U. jackii growing right next to each other that there would be little hybrids in the area. Or do Utricularia not hybridize so easily?

[sundewmatt]

nice! :) i see you managed to get a d peltata in there... good work ;)

m

[chug]

Wow.. what an amazing blue coloured utric. Nice one. :)

[Markus Berg]

Hello Andreas,

thanks for the informations and the pics. It's very good to know that there are still new species to be discovered.

Regards,

Markus

[Bob H]

Andreas.

Thanks for the excellent pictures, I have to agree the U.babui is to be obtained ..... I mean admired!