A new endemic species of Ridleyandra (Gesneriaceae), Ridleyandra iminii Siti-Munirah from Peninsular Malaysia is described and illustrated. Among Ridleyandra species, it is the only one with a dark red flower.
Thismialatiffiana Siti-Munirah & Dome, a new species from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia, is described and illustrated. The new species differs from all other species of Thismia, described so far, in having golden trichomes that are present on the outer surface of its floral tube and mitre, as well as pyramidal protuberances on the inner surface of the floral tube. Additionally, it is remarkable in its supraconnective apically bearing two long trichomes. Thismialatiffiana is assigned a preliminary conservation status as Critically Endangered (CR) according to IUCN Criteria.
A new mycoheterotrophic species, Thismiakenyirensis Siti-Munirah & Dome from Peninsular Malaysia, is described and illustrated. Thismiakenyirensis differs from other previously described species in the following characteristics: the flower tube is completely orange, with alternating darker and paler-coloured longitudinal lines on the outer and inner surfaces, the outer tepals are ovate (petaloid), the inner tepals are narrowly lanceolate, each ending with a long appendage. According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, T.kenyirensis is provisionally classified as Least Concern.
We describe an extraordinary new species in the genus Thismia from the Terengganu State of Malaysia in the Malay Peninsula. The new species, which we name Thismia sitimeriamiae, is distinct from all other Thismia species known to science, most notably in its unique mitre configuration formed by the inner tepals and its floral surface morphology characterised by conspicuous orange trichomes. We discuss our findings in the context of underestimated species diversity in the genus Thismia and implications for their conservation. We recommend assigning T. sitimeriamiae the conservation status as Critically Endangered (CR) according to IUCN criteria.
Thismialimkokthayi, a distinct mitriform species of the mycoheterotrophic genus Thismia, is described and illustrated. It was found at a locality in the upland areas of Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. This new species is morphologically similar to members of Thismiasect.Geomitra, but differs in several characteristics, including the colour of the floral tube, the inner surface of the floral tube with longitudinal ribs and absent transverse bars, a stamen apex with a central lobe (prolongation of the rib) and two lateral lobes (the tips of each are recurved) and a black-purplish stigma. Thismialimkokthayi is provisionally classified as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Two new Codonoboea species, C. kenaboiensis Syahida-Emiza, Y.Y.Sam & Siti-Munirah and C. ruthiae Syahida-Emiza, Y.Y. Sam & Siti-Munirah were discovered from the Kenaboi State Park, Peninsular Malaysia. Descriptions, illustrations, colour plates and provisional conservation status are provided.
This report describes Thismia belumensis Siti-Munirah & Suhaimi-Miloko, a novel species of achlorophyllous herb discovered in the Royal Belum State Park, Peninsular Malaysia. This new species is unlike any previously described species of Thismia. In particular, T. belumensis possesses a unique annulus, which has been expanded and modified into a cucullate (hood-like) structure. This structure covers the apical floral tube and has an opening on one side facing a thickened part of the annulus, and the off-centre floral aperture confers a zygomorphic symmetry to the flower, indicating T. belumensis is more similar to Thismia labiata J.J.Sm. This morphological detail makes this new species distinct from all other described species of Thismia. In this report, we provide descriptions, illustrations, colour plates, and the provisional conservation status of Thismia belumensis.
Recent fieldwork in Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia, resulted in the collection of an endemic new species of Ardisia, described here as Ardisiarecurvipetala Julius, Siti-Munirah & Utteridge. The species is a member of subgenus (§) Crispardisia on account of its vascularised glands (bacterial nodules) on the leaf margin and the terminal inflorescence on a specialised lateral branch subtended by a normal leaf (rather than a reduced bract-like leaf). Ardisiarecurvipetala is unique amongst all members of §Crispardisia by having leaf margins with both vascularised glands and pustule-like structures and can be further distinguished from other Peninsular Malaysian members of this subgenus by the lamina raised between the leaf venation giving a somewhat bullate appearance, unbranched inflorescences, brownish-red pedicels and recurved corolla lobes, each with a creamy-white apex and a small pink patch at the base. Ardisiarecurvipetala is known only from a single location in Terengganu and its conservation status is assessed as Data Deficient (DD).