CURCUMA STAHLIANTHOIDES

This new species of ginger was recorded during a feld survey with local people in Nakhon province in northeast Thailand. A large population was found growing near a shallow swamp in a shaded area of mixed scrub and bamboo forest.

Local people already knew the species, which is known as bussarin, meaning “lotus of Indra”, a deity in Hinduism and Buddhism. It is sometimes sold as an ornamental plant in local markets, and the fowers are used as religious oferings. But for scientists, its discovery ofers new insights.

“The discovery of this species is interesting because we were able to document that the seeds were dispersed by ants, a phenomenon that we think is very much under-reported in gingers,” said Dr Jana Skornickova, an expert on gingers of the region. The team photographed many ants attempting to carry the seeds away from the fowers. Better understanding of relationships like these helps shed light on the ecological services that plants like gingers play in their ecosystems.

The species also provides a missing link within the Curcuma genus, one of around 60 genera within the ginger family. “The fowers closely resemble those in a subgroup of gingers that used to be considered a separate genus, Stahlianthus. On the other hand, the number of bracts which enclose these fowers, and how they are arranged on the stem resemble species in the genus Curcuma,” explained Dr Skornickova. “Stahlianthus was only merged with Curcuma due to genetic testing, but this species bridges the morphological gap between two groups.”

The researchers recommend that the species should be classifed as Vulnerable. Although the population that was recorded included more than 1,000 mature individuals, the area is not under any legal protection and is close to agricultural land. There is also a danger of the plant being targeted by collectors.

Soonthornkalump, S., Kongphapa, J., Vianmana, S., Kunlapa, N. and Leong-Škorničková, J., 2022. Curcuma stahlianthoides (Zingiberaceae), a new species from northeastern Thailand dispersed by ants. Blumea-Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants 67(1): 71-75. doi. org/10.3767/blumea.2022.67.01.09