Saturday, May 26, 2018

[Botany • 2018] Jasminum ledangense • One New Species and Two New Records of Jasminum (Oleaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia


 Jasminum ledangense Kiew

 Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. 70(1)  

ABSTRACT
 Jasminum ledangense Kiew is a new species restricted to Gunung Ledang, Johor and Jasminum carissoides Kerr and J. nervosum Lour. are new records for Malaysia. Jasminum carissoides is restricted to limestone in Kedah (Langkawi) and Perlis and also occurs in Peninsular Thailand, while a narrow-leaved form of J. nervosum is found on limestone in Kedah (Langkawi). Jasminum insularum Kerr is confirmed as a distinct species. It is extremely rare and known from just three specimens, the type from Peninsular Thailand, one from Kelantan and another from Pahang in Malaysia. Descriptions are provided for these species. 

Keywords. Gunung Ledang, small-leaved jasmines, Thailand


Fig. 2. Jasminum ledangense Kiew.
A. Habit. B. Flowering cyme. From Ong et al. FRI 75292.

Photos: Ong P.T.

Jasminum ledangense Kiew, sp. nov.

 In its narrowly lanceolate leaves with a pair of veins from the base and forming a submarginal vein with an additional 3–4 lateral veins in the upper half, in the filiform calyx teeth and star-like flowers, it resembles Jasminum nervosum but it is different in its coriaceous leaves (not membranous as in J. nervosum), 3 times longer than wide (not 2.5 times longer than wide), longer petioles 0.5–1 cm long (not 0.2–0.5 cm long), obscure venation except for the midrib prominent beneath (not conspicuous but plane above and beneath), pedicels 6–20 mm long (not 2–5 mm long), corolla tube 2–2.5 times longer than the lobes (not 3–3.5 times longer) with lobes 1.5–2 mm wide (not 2.5–3 mm wide) and fruit lobes 11–12 × 7–8 mm (not c. 6 × 4 mm). 
– TYPE: Peninsular Malaysia, Johor, Gunung Ledang, .... February 2012, Ong et al. FRI 75292 (holotype KEP; isotypes K, BKF).  
...

Distribution. Endemic in Peninsular Malaysia, known only from Gunung Ledang, Johor (formerly known as Mt Ophir, Malacca). 

Ecology. Primary hill or montane forest, from 375 m to the summit at 1140 m elevation. Gunung Ledang is a well-collected mountain peak and the fact that only four collections have been made in the last 120 years indicates that it is a very rare species. 

Etymology. Referring to its only known locality, Gunung Ledang, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia.


 R. Kiew. 2018. One New Species and Two New Records of Jasminum (Oleaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore. 70(1); 109–118.