Two new species of Gesneriad from Thailand.

The Gesneriads are a diverse group of tropical and sub-tropical flowering plants, mostly herbaceous in nature, but with a few woody members growing up to small-tree sized. They are found throughout the tropics, but are probably most diverse in Southeast Asia and Indonesia. There are over 3000 described species.

In a paper published in the Thai Forest Bulletin in November 2012, David Middleton of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh and Pramote Triboun of the Bangkok Herbarium describe a new species of Gesneriad from Phangnga and Ranong Provinces in Thailand.

The plants are placed in a new genus, Somrania, named in honour of Somran Suddee of the Forest Herbarium Bangkok.

The first new plant is given the specific name albiflora, meaning white-petalled. Somrania albiflora is a  small herbaceous flowering plant, reaching 20 cm in height, covered in dense hairs with white bell-shaped flowers. It was found growing on limestone cliffs in Ngao Waterfall National Park in Ranong Province, close to the border with Myanmar.

Line drawing of Somrania albiflora. Scale bar is 1 cm. Middleton & Triboun 2012.

Photograph of Somrania albiflora. Middleton & Triboun 2012.

The second plant is given the specific name lineata, or 'lined'; the flowers are white with orange-brown lines on their inner surface. Somrania lineata is similar to Somrania albiflora but less densely hairy and with lines on the inner surface of its petals. It was found growing on limestone rocks in Sra Nang Manohra Waterfall Forest Park in Phangnga Province, Thailand.

Somrania lineata. Middleton & Triboun 2012.

The conservation status of these plants is unclear; both are known from single locations with high tourist numbers and corresponding disturbance, but may also be found elsewhere. It is quite likely that Somrania albiflora grows in Myanmar as well as in Thailand.

See also A new species of Gesneriad from Malaysia, New species of Daisy from Brazil, A new, diploid, Pincushion Plant, from the Rocky Mountains, New species of Pipewort from Brazil and A new species of Orchid from Bahia State, Brazil.

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A new species of Gesneriad from Malaysia.

Gesneriads are small tropical or subtropical flowering plants; most are herbaceous but a few woody forms grow to shrub- or small tree-sized. Most members of the group produce conspicuous coloured flowers, with many becoming popular house or garden plants, such as African Violets, Temple Bells or Cape Primroses. The Generiads are thought to be related to the Lady's Purses and Slipperworts.

In a paper published in the journal PhytoKeys on 7 December 2012, Ruth Kiew and Yen-Yen Sam of Forest Research Institute Malaysia, describe a new species of Gesneriad from Terengganu State in Malaysia.

The new species is placed in the genus Codonoboea and given the specific name personatiflora, meaning 'closed flower'. All plants in the genus Codonoboea have tube- or bell-shaped flowers, but the flowers of Codonoboea personatiflora are closed by a pair of lip-like recurved lobes. This unusual structure suggests the plant is pollinated by an insect capable of entering the flower, but the pollinator is

The flowers of Codonoboea personatiflora. Kiew & Sam (2012).

Codonoboea personatiflora is an unbranched woody herb growing up to 65 cm in height, with plants flowering from when they reach about 15 cm. It has thin, leathery leaves 12-34 cm in length, coloured reddish at the base and with white or yellow veins. It produces cylindrical fruit up to 45 mm in length.

Leaves and flower of Codonoboea personatiflora. Kiew & Sam (2012).

Codonoboea personatiflora grows as an understory plant in lowland mixed dipterocarp forest at low altitudes (below 100 m). It is know only from five locations in Terengganu State, all of which are at threat from logging and conversion to Palm Oil plantations. For this reason Kiew and Sam consider that Codonoboea personatiflora be considered to be Endangered under the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

See also Catapulting tentacles in a sticky Carnivorous Plant, New species of Daisy from Brazil, New species of Mold found growing on Brazil Nuts in the Amazon Basin, Ants in the diet of a Cambodian Pitcher Plant and A new, diploid, Pincushion Plant, from the Rocky Mountains.

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