The Reappearance of Odontochilus rotundifolius Blatter and Its Transfer to Aenhenrya

Gopalan (Orchidaceae)
Author(s): C. Sathish Kumar and Finn N. Rasmussen
Source: Novon, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Spring, 1997), pp. 81-84
Published by: Missouri Botanical Garden Press
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 The Reappearance of OdontochilusrotundifoliusBlatterand Its
Transferto AenhenryaGopalan (Orchidaceae)
C. Sathish Kumar
Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute,Pacha Palode, Trivandrum-695562, India

Finn N. Rasmussen
Botanical Laboratory,Universityof Copenhagen, Gothersgade 140, DK-1123 Copenhagen K,
Denmark

ABSTRACT. Comparison of the types of Odonto- The originaldescriptionby Blatter(1928) is

chilusrotundifolius Blatterand Aenhenrya agastya- ratherscantyand the illustration is crude.We can
malayana Gopalan establishestheirconspecifity. confirm manyobservations in the drawingand de-
An emendedand amplifieddescriptionofAenhen- scriptionby Gopalan (1994), butthe description of
rya is provided,and a new combination, A. rotun- the columnis incompleteand the pollinarium was
difolia(Blatter)Sathish& F. Rasmussen,is made. missingfromGopalan'smaterial.The charactersas-
An unusualorchidwiththecharactersofsubtri- sociatedwiththese structures are in factthe most
be Goodyerinae,tribeCranichideaein subfamily interesting in thegenusand are crucialforits tax-
status.We take thisopportunity
Spiranthoideae (sensu Dressler,1993) was collect- onomic to provide
ed by one of us (CSK) in the WesternGhats in a moredetailedillustration (Fig. 1) and a descrip-
March1993. It was obviouslynota representative tion of the column,stigma,pollinarium, and fruit
of any of the knowngeneraof Goodyerinae.Scan- based on freshmaterial:
ningof the floristic literaturerevealedthatOdon- Columnincurved,ca. 20 mmlongincludingthe
tochilusrotundifolius, describedby Blatter(1928) ca. 15 mmlongtaperingrostellarprojection(sterile
froman incompletespecimen,could verywell be extensionof medianstigmalobe). The fertilepart
identicalwithour material.Subsequently, Gopalan of the stigmais a three-lobedpapillose area, with
(1994) publishedAenhenrya agastyamalayanagen. twotriangular laterallobes at the base of the col-
et sp. nov.based on a collectionfromTamilNadu, umn(Fig. IC) and a thirdnarrowly triangularlobe
evidentlybelongingto the same species. extending ca. 3.8 mmup on an 8-10 mmlonghorn-
In February1995 we receivednewlive material like projection,whichis minutelyemarginate api-
collectedby N. Sasidharanin thePeriyarTigerre- to as the "frontal
cally.This structurewas referred
serve in Kerala, close to the type localityof 0.
appendage of column" by Blatter (1928) and
rotundifolius in theHighWavyMountains.Detailed
"sword-likeappendageof lip" by Gopalan(1994).
studyof the freshcollectionsestablishesbeyond It is hereinterpreted as an extensionofthelateral
doubtthatall materialbelongsto thesame species,
stigma lobes. The side lobes ofthe labellumclasp
necessitating a new combination in Aenhenrya.
thisstructure, forming a narrowcanal (Figs. IB, 2).
Aenhenrya rotundifolia (Blatter)Sathish & F. The petals and the rostellumforman uppercanal
Rasmussen,comb.nov.Basionym:Odontochi- delimitedby the lateralstigmalobe projectionon
lus rotundifolius Blatter,J. BombayNat. Hist. the ventralside.
Soc. 32: 521. 1928. Anoectochilus rotundifolius Anthererect,almostbasal at the dorsalside of
(Blatter)Balakrishnan,J. BombayNat. Hist. the column,connectiveextendeddistallyinto a
Soc. 63: 330. 1966. TYPE: India. TamilNadu:
narrowly ellipticstructure (Fig. 1D, E), abouthalf
High Wavy Mountains,1370-1680 m, May as long as the rostellarprojection("uppercolumn
1917, in dense evergreenforest,Hallberg&
appendage"in Gopalan,1994).
Blatter25802 (holotype, K). Pollinia 2, bipartite,sectile,pear-shaped,ca. 2
AenhenryaagastyamalayanaGopalan, J. Bombay Nat. X 1 mm,attachedto a straplikestipe,thestipe12
Hist. Soc. 90: 271. 1994 [1993]. Syn. nov.TYPE:
India.TamilNadu:Tirunelveli Kattabomman x 0.7 mm,distallyendingin an ovoid viscidium,
Dis- the viscidiumca. 1.5 x 0.5 mm,witha papillose
trict,Poonkulam, Agastyamalai Hills,1120 m,24
Apr.1991,Gopalan93224(holotype, CAL;isotype, dorsal surface.The viscidiumleaves a distinct?
MH (157415-24)). wedge-shapedscar in the rostellumon removal.
NovoN 7: 81-84. 1997.

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82 Novon

" i

jF

.,i, :'.t2 ,f!,i .

G H J
%'

Figure1. Aenhenrya (Blatter)Sathish& F. Rasmussen(C. SathishKumar16602) -A. Plant.-B.

rotundifolia
Dissectedflower(halfof mediansepal, leftpetal and lateralsepal removed).-C. As B, leftlaterallobe of labellum
removedto showhornlikeprojectionfromlateralstigmalobes. -D. Anther,dorsalview.-E. Anther,ventralview,
afteranthesis.-F. Pollinarium.-G. Labellum.-H. Dorsal sepal and petals,ventralview.-I. Petal. -J. Lateral
sepal, dorsalview.-K. Lateralsepal, ventralview.Scale bar: A = 2 cm; B, C and G-K = 5 mm;D-F = 2 mm.

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Volume7, Number1 Kumar& Rasmussen 83
1997 of Odontochilus
Transfer rotundifolius

iorsal sepal pes (polliniumstalks derivedfromthe rostellum)

connective are so far onlyrecordedfromspecies of Zeuxine
and Hetaeria,whichhave thinstipesofthe tegula
stipe type (Rasmussen, 1982). The stipe observedin
Aenhenrya is muchlargerthantheseand is among
rostellum thelongeststipesknownin thefamily. It mayprove
to be a strapof several cell layers,as is known
aetal
projectionfrom frommanyepidendroidorchids.Ongoinginvesti-
lateralstigma
lobes gationofthematerialis expectedto revealthetrue
anatomicalnatureofthisstipe.The papillosedorsal
side of the viscidiumseems to be the surfacethat
ateral sepal attachesto thepollinator. A fieldstudyoftheactual
labellum removal and
pollinia pollinationwouldbe interest-
Figure2. Aenhenrya
rotundifolia. cross
Diagrammatic ing.
section
offlower. The phylogenetic relationsofAenhenrya are not
obvious.The comparatively largeflowers in one-or
two-flowered inflorescences, the unusuallabellum,
The rostellumis notbiclawedor two-armed as de- and the singulardetailsof the columnseem to be
scribed by Blatterand Gopalan; this misunder- autapomorphies. It shouldbe notedthatsomespe-
standingcomes fromdescriptionsof specimens cies of Anoectochilus(including Odontochilus
fromwhichthe pollinariumhas alreadybeen re- Blume) actually have only one fertilestigmatic
moved. area,e.g.,A. tortus(Seidenfaden, 1978: 51). Certain
One recentcollection(S. AnilKumar29425) in- species in Hetaeria have sterilelateral stigmatic
cludes maturefruits:fruit16-23 x 5-7 mm,ses- projectionsand a labellumshape thatare reminis-
sile, obovoid-obconicalwith3 ridges,pubescent, cent ofAenhenrya, but a morecomprehensive as-
grayishgreen.Seeds linear,1-1.2 mm. sessmentof all membersof Goodyerinaeis neces-
Sterileprojectionsfromthe surroundings of the saryto determine thephylogenetic affinitiesofthis
stigma,interpreted as sterileextensionsofthe lat- extraordinary orchid.
eral stigmalobes (Rasmussen,1982), are known
froma numberofgenerain Goodyerinae, butmost- Specimensexamined. INDIA.Kerala: TrivandrumDis-
ly fromthegroupofgenerawithtworeceptivestig- trict, SW sideofAgastyamala, 1550m,19 Mar.1993,C.
matic areas (Diplostigmatata;Schlechter,1926). Sathish Kumar16602(C, TBGT);Idukkidistrict, Periyar
Tiger Reserve,Vellimala, 800 m,28 May1994,J. Au-
They are a generic character of Blume
Cheirostylis Katta-
gustine13779 (KFRI).TamilNadu: Tirunelveli
and distinctly presentin mostspecies ofAnoecto- bommanDistrict, Pandavanpara 1220 m, 20
foothills,
chilusBlume.Some species ofHetaeriaBlumeand Feb. 1995,C. Sathish Kumar41 (C, TBGT);Poonkulam,
Vrydagzynea Blumehave decurrentkeels fromthe 1140 m, 19 May1996,S. AnilKumar29425 (TBGT);
lateral stigmalobes (Rasmussen,1982: 49). Aen- Ashambu hills,1.5 mi.N ofTirukurungudi,
450-1500m,
11 Apr.1945, E. Bawdens.n. (K).
henryawouldtechnicallyfall intoHaplostigmatata
(generawithone receptivestigmatic area; Schlech- We are muchindebtedto G.
ter,1926). DicerostylislanceolataBlume,a member Acknowledgments.
Seidenfaden forusefulcommentson the material.
of this group,is knownto have such projections
We thankthe curatorat the OrchidHerbarium(K)
(Seidenfaden,1978: 18); however,this species is
ma-
oftenreferred to Hylophilawherethis attribute is and R. Gopalan (MH) forlendingus critical
& terial.Hanne N. RasmussendrewFigure1B, C, F,
missing(Seidenfaden Wood,1992).
The sterilelateralstigmalobe projectionin Aen- and Figure2. C. SathishKumaris gratefulto P.
Directorof TBGRI, forencourage-
henryais uniquein beingone structure, onlyslight- Pushpangadan,
ly apically emarginate.It seems to emergerather ment and for arranginga travelgrantforworkin
late in theontogeny ofthecolumn.In a bud where Copenhagen.This studyis partoftheorchidproject
the dorsal sepal was 8 mmlong the peculiarpro- fundedby the Kerala State Forestsand Wildlife
jectionwas just visibleas a 1-mm-long bulgebelow Department. The orchidprojecthas receivedvalu-
the stigma.The rostellum at thatstagewas 4.2 mm able supportfromthe chiefwildlifewarden,P. K.
long,notyetextendingpast the anther(C. Sathish Surendranathan Asari, and fromCSK's colleagues
Kumar41). A. Gangaprasad,A. K. Pradeep,Anil Kumar,and
In the subtribeGoodyerinae well-developedsti- the tribalguide E. Appicherukkan (Kani tribe).

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84 Novon

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