Wednesday, May 24, 2017

[Botany • 2017] Hibiscus contortus | ชบาหุบ • A New Species of Hibiscus (Malvaceae-Malvoideae) from Thailand


ชบาหุบ |  Hibiscus contortus  Phuph. & S.Gardner


ABSTRACT

A new speciesHibiscus contortus Phuph. & S.Gardner, is described and contrasted to its nearest ally, H. floccosus Mast.

KEYWORDS: Malvaceae-Malvoideae; Hibiscus; new species; conservation; Thailand


INTRODUCTION 
Hibiscus L. comprises approximately 200 species distributed almost worldwide, mostly in the tropics and subtropics, with a few species in temperate regions (Bayer & Kubitzki, 2003). The Thai species of Hibiscus were enumerated by Phuphathanaphong et al. (1989), totalling 17 species (7 exotic species), and recently 19 species (9 exotic species) were recognized by Pooma & Suddee (2014). Further study of Malvaceae-Malvoideae for the Flora of Thailand by the first author found interesting fertile material of Hibiscus from Surat Thani and Songkhla provinces, southern Thailand, which we describe here as Hibiscus contortus Phuph. & S.Gardner. Borssum Waalkes (1966) recognized 9 sections of tribe Hibisceae and this new species belongs to section Azanza. Most species in this section are trees with broad stipules and palminerved leaves. Hibiscus contortus is most similar to Hibiscus floccosus Mast. which occurs in Peninsular Malaysia
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Hibiscus contortus Phuph. & S.Gardner, sp. nov. 

Allied to Hibiscus floccosus Mast. but differs in leaves not lobed, not scabrous (vs angular or lobed, scabrous); pedicel 2–2.5 cm long, jointed (vs 0.5–1 cm long, without joint); petals pale pink to pale orange with darker pink base (vs yellow to orange with red veins from base); stamen filaments 5–7 mm long (vs 2–2.5 mm long). 
Type: Thailand, Surat Thani, Don Sak, alt. 5 m, 19 Dec. 2006, Pooma et al. 6460 (holotype BKF; isotypes A, BKF, E, L). Figs. 1–2. 

Etymology.— The specific epithet ‘contortus’ is derived from Latin, in reference to the overlapped and twisted petals.
Vernacular.— Chaba hup (ชบาหุบ). 



Leena Phuphathanaphong and Simon Gardner. 2017. A New Species of Hibiscus (Malvaceae-Malvoideae) from Thailand. THAI FOREST BULL., BOT. 45(1); 6–9.  DOI: 10.20531/tfb.2017.45.1.02