Taxonomic notes of Alpinia subsect. Catimbium (Zingiberaceae) in Vietnam: The first record of Alpinia nobilis and description of a new species Alpinia hoangviet

THI LIEN THUONG NGUYEN (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)
SURAPON SAENSOUK (Plant and Invertebrate Taxonomy and Its Applications Unit Group, Walai Rukhavej Botanical Research Institute. Mahasarakham University. Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand)
VAN CANH NGUYEN (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)
VAN KHUONG NGUYEN (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)
THI THANH DAT PHAM (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)
DANG KHOA NGUYEN (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)
DANH DUC NGUYEN (Institute of Applied Technology, Thu Dau Mot University. No. 6, Tran Van On Street, Phu Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City 75100, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam)

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Vol. 24 No. 10 (2023)

Abstract. Nguyen TLT, Saensouk S, Nguyen VC, Nguyen VK, Pham TTD, Nguyen DK, Nguyen DD. 2023. Taxonomic notes of Alpinia subsect. Catimbium (Zingiberaceae) in Vietnam: The first record of Alpinia nobilis and description of a new species Alpinia hoangviet. Biodiversitas 24: 5293-5301. Alpinia subsect. Catimbium is characterized by the inflorescences being a raceme, panicle or spike; bracts usually absent; prominent bracteoles, if present, almost enclosing the flower buds, calyx deeply split unilaterally, deeply concave labellum usually over 3 cm long and yellow-orange marked crimson red, reduced staminodes being subulate to lightly swollen (nearly absent), and anther usually not crested. The revision of subsect. Catimbium in Vietnam is not completed yet. We estimate that the number of this subsect. is roughly 50% of Catimbium species of the World. As a result of the examination of our living specimens collected during 2019-2022, Alpinia nobilis was defined as a new record in southern Vietnam, and Alpinia hoangviet, a new species belonging to subsect. Catimbium (Zingiberaceae: Alpinieae) from Central Vietnam is described. The taxonomic treatment with a description, photographs, distribution, ecology, conservation assessment, and morphological comparison of the new species with their allies are provided. Moreover, a revised key to all species of Alpinia subsect. Catimbium in Vietnam, is included. Alpinia hirsuta and A. latilabris were eliminated from this key. Alpinia hirsuta is considered a member of subsect. Alpinia, whereas the presence of A. latilabris in Vietnam is a misidentification.