Two new species of Curcuma L. (zingiberaceae) from Thailand

Abstract

Curcuma aruna and C. pitukii, two new species from northern Thailand, are described, illustrated, and photographed. They are endemic to Sukhothai and Lampang Provinces, northern Thailand, and the morphological characteristics of two new species are compared with their closest species, C. flaviflora, C. eburnea, and C. pierreana. Two new species, C. aruna and C. pitukii are assignable to Curcuma subgenus Ecomata. C. aruna is recognized by leaves ovate with thin chartaceous, fertile bracts 6–12, it’s glabrous on nearly all parts of the plant, flowers yellow and labellum yellow with 2 darker yellow bands in the center. C. pitukii is recognized by bracts 20–40 with purplish white to purple, corolla lobes purplish white to pale purple, staminodes white, and labellum white with an embossed yellow path along the midrib from base to apex. A detailed description, distribution, ecology, etymology, preliminary conservation status, and photographs of two new species are provided. A key to 20 species of Curcuma subgenus Ecomata in Thailand is presented.