ไทย
Professor Pranom Chantaranothai and Dr.Pornchai Kladwong from Applied Taxonomic Research Center, Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University have been working on some plant genera in Rubiaceae and Acanthaceae. The result of the research is very useful for the Flora of Thailand project
1. New species
a. Gynochthodes betongensis Chantar. is a new species in Rubiaceae. The species was collected from the village of Ban Chulabhorn Phattana 10, Bang Lang national park, Betong district, Yala province. The specimen, Pooma et al. 4434, was collected in the year 2004. The holotype is deposited at the Forest Herbarium, Bangkok (BKF) and the isotypes are kept at Aarhus University herbarium (AAU), Denmark and Herbarium Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Scotland. The new species is morphologically similar to G. cochinchinensis and G. umbellata in having flowers that are borne in heads and arranged in pseudo-umbels on terminal shoots. The new species differs in having a cordate leaf base (vs cuneate, obtuse or slightly oblique leaf base in G. cochinchinensis and G. umbellata), slightly longer petioles (10–15 mm long vs 3–10 mm long), and lateral veins 12–14 pairs but 7–12 pairs in G. cochinchinensis and 6–8 pairs in G. umbellata.
b. Eranthemum decumbens Kladwong & Chantar. is a new species from Surin province. The specimen, Kerr 8249, was collected in the year 1924. The holotype is kept at the Bangkok herbarium (BK). The new species appears to be mostly related to E. strictum Roxb. and E. roseum Roemer & Schultes, but differs by having decumbent stems, ovate-oblong leaves that are cuneate or rounded at the base and acute or attenuate at apex, and lanceolate-oblong bracteoles and calyx lobes. Eranthemum decumbens is distributed in Thailand and Laos.
2. New records in Thailand and neighbouring countries
a. Gynochthodes hispida (K.M.Wong) Razafim. & B.Bremer and Pavetta napieri (Ridl.) Bremek. of Rubiaceae, are newly recorded for Thailand; one new to Myanmar, P. aspera Craib, one to Cambodia, P. sylvatica Blume and two to Laos, P. fruticosa Craib and P. Naucleiflora R.Br. ex G.Don.
b. Eranthemum burmanicum N.P.Balakr, E. macrophyllum Wall. ex Nees, Strobilanthes hypomalla Benoist and S. spirei (R.Ben.) Kladwong & Chantar. of Acanthaceae are new to Thailand.