New species of Galangia found in Quang Ngai

Researchers from the Institute of Tropical Biology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have discovered and described a new species of plant belonging to the genus Rieng (Alpinia Roxb.) Of the Ginger family (Zingiberaceae) in mountainous areas. west of Quang Ngai province.

The new species is named Rieng newman, Alpinia newmanii NS Ly , in honor of Dr. Mark F. Newman of the Royal Endinburgh Botanical Garden, (Scotland, United Kingdom), who has made many contributions in the study. Ginger family in Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries. The new species is published in the Nordic Journal of Botany in February 2017.

This discovery raises the total number of species in the genus Rieng in Vietnam to about 33 species, including 12 species of galangal belonging to the sub-branch of Catimbium (subsection Catimbium) including the new species of rieng.

Flower cluster of galangal newman (Alpinia newmanii NSLý).(Photo of Lý Ngọc Sâm).

Galangal newman, Alpinia newmanii NS Ly , is a multi-year herbaceous plant, up to 1.7m tall. The outer surface of the leaf sheath, petiole, leaf blade and the underside of the leaf blade have many gray hairs. The leaves are narrow elliptical, skin-like, greenish-gray on the top, blue on the underside. The inflorescence in the tops carries 9–21 flowers, 3–7 flowers bloom at the same time. Clusters of flowers are not bracts, the elliptical leaves are wide, white. Calyx is bell-shaped, white, with 3 pointed teeth; long round corolla, white. Wide oval-egg-shaped lip wings, slightly bent at the base (base) and flat at the top, 42–46 × 30–36 mm, bright yellow with large deep red spots on the bottom and dark red stripes drawn long toward the edge of the lips, torn edges and curving down, 2-lobed head. The shape of the plexiglass is 4 to 8 mm long, curved, deep red. Globular ovaries, many yellow feathers. Spherical capsule fruit, bright red when ripe, hairy.

Galangal newman has cluster-like inflorescence, funnel-shaped corolla, pistil-shaped pistachio resembles roxburgh (Alpinia roxburghii Sweet), A. hainanensis K. Schum. And Rieng ri (A. latilabris Ridl.). Newman galley has short leaf blades, narrow elliptical leaf blade with dark gray green upper face, short northern leaves, long corolla tube, wide oval-egg-shaped lips slightly bent at the base (base) and flat part The head, bright yellow with a deep red base on the base and the deep red stripes stretching towards the edge of the lips, and long anther are morphological features that are different from those of Riengburgh, South Korean and Rieng ri.

Galangal newman grows along streams or under the canopy of secondary forest with broad-leaved trees. The mountain in Nghia Hanh district or broad-leaved evergreen forest on low mountains of Ca Dam mountain in Tra Bong district and Tay Tra district, Quang Ngai province, in altitude from about 300–1000 m. This is a narrow endemic species, currently only found some dispersed populations of 1–5 mature individuals in each cluster at Dau mountain in Nghia Hanh district and Ca Dam mountain. Rieng newman flowers from February to April, produces fruits from April to July. The flower of the species is quite large and beautiful, it is necessary to study conservation and propagation to make the scene.