A Synopsis of Ipsea (Orchidaceae)

Author(s): C. Sathish Kumar and K. S. Manilal

Source: Kew Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 4 (1987), pp. 937-943
Published by: Springer on behalf of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
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 A synopsis of Ipsea (Orchidaceae)
C. SATHISHKUMAR* & K. S. MANILAL**

Summary. The genus IpseaLindl. containing 2 species is revised. Inter- and intrageneric affinities
are discussed. A new combination in the related genus Pachystoma Bl., viz. P. hirsuta Joseph &
Vajravelu) Sathish Kumar & Manilal is proposed.

INTRODUCTION

The genus Ipseawas proposed by Lindley (1831) with I. speciosaas the type
species, based on a collection from Sri Lanka made by Macrae in 1829. Wight
(1851) accepted Lindley's species and studied several specimens other than the
type, including some of his own collections. He comments on one of these
collections that it is 'perhaps a new species, found on the Malabar Ghats'.
Reichenbach (1855) united Lindley's genera Ipseaand Apaturiawith Pachy-
stomaBl., listing seven species. Later, in 1862, he added a few more species to
Pachystoma.He also described the new taxon P. malabaricum based on a col-
lection by Jerdon from Malabar (Wight's doubtful new species) and commen-
ted 'reliqua praecedentis'. Bentham & Hooker in their Genera Plantarum
(1883) give sectional status to Apaturiaand Ipseawithin Pachystoma, commen-
ting that generic rather than sectional rank would be preferable. Pfitzer (1889)
retained Ipseaand Hooker (1890) was in agreement, treating it at generic level
and related to Pachystoma.Pradhan (1979) treats both I. malabaricaand
I. speciosaas species of Spathoglottis
B 1.

SYSTEMATIC POSITION AND AFFINITIES

Hooker (1890) places Ipseaalongside Pachystoma and Spathoglottis in the tribe

Epidendreae,subtribe Erieae. The latest treatment by Dressler (1981), who
groups Ipseaamong Calanthe,Pachystoma, Phaiusand Spathoglottisetc. in the third
of seven tentative alliances within the subtribe Bletiinae,would seem the most
logical. Habit and column structure are similar and the number of pollinia are
the same in Ipsea,Calanthe,Pachystoma and Spathoglottis.
The pollinaria of Ipsea,
although typical of the Bletiinae,differs markedly from those of Pachystoma and
and may possibly have more of an affinity with the New World
Spathoglottis
Bletia Ruiz & Pav. The pollinia of Calantheand Spathoglottis are cylindric or
clavate and those of Pachystoma globular, whereas in Ipsea they are laterally
flattened as they are in Bletia. The presence of two fleshy tubercles on the
anther cap is a character not observed in other members of the subtribe
Bletiinae.

KEY TO SPECIES OF IPSEA

1. Flowers up to 4 per scape, 5-6-6 cm across; lateral lobes of lip obtuse-

Accepted for publication January 1987.

*Tropical Botanic Garden & Research Institute, Palode, Trivandrum-695 562, India.
**Department of Botany, Calicut University, Calicut-673 635, India.
937

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938 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 42(4)
760 780 so' 82"

U U

r8.

* Ipsea speciosa Lindi.

* Ipsea malabarica(Reic b.f.) Hook.f. U

MAP 1. Distribution of Ipsea.

quadrate, midlobe ovate-ligulate, acute; disc having 3-5 fleshy, entire

ridges . ............ . 1. I. speciosa
1. Flowers usually solitary, rarely 2 per scape, about 5 cm across;lateral lobes
of lip triangular, midlobe obovate, emarginate-denticulate;disc having 3-6
serrate lamellae .......... 2. I. malabarica

1. Ipsea speciosa Lindl.,Gen. Sp. Orch. 124 (1831); Wight, Ic. P1. Ind. Or.
t. 1663 (1851); Hook. f. in Curt. Bot. Mag. t. 5701 (1868); Hook. f. Fl. Brit.
Ind. 5: 812 (1890); Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 4: 171 (1898); Jayaweera in
Dassanayake & Fosberg, Rev. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 2: 150 (1981). Type: Sri
Lanka, Macrae19 (holotype K).
Pachystoma speciosum(Lindl.) Reichb. f. in Bonplandia 3: 250 (1855) & in Walp.
Ann. 6: 462 (1862).
speciosa(Lindl.) U.C. Pradhan, Ind. Orch. 2: 701 (1979).
Spathoglottis
Terrestrial herb. Tubersunderground, 2-lobed, ensheathed by leaf-base.
Leaves 1, or occasionally 2, 22-29 x 0-3-1-2 cm, not appearing with the
inflorescence, narrowly ensiform, narrowed into a petiole about 9-5 cm long,
sheathing at base, puberulous, many-veined. Inflorescence up to 67 cm long,
sheathed at base, 1-4-flowered; floral bracts 1-8-2 x 0-9-12 cm, ovate-

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SYNOPSIS OF IPSEA (ORCHIDACEAE) 939

II

?Z?
:i C
Ji
-?.~-4 ~ E\
: jr "

r~i:
;~iF
~i~~ii~~i~~ii~~ii~ii~~ii~~i~
c 2c m
H?-:
1cm. G?.:::
A? B:

FIG. 1. Ipseaspeciosa.A habit;B leaves;C flower;D columnand lip; E dorsalsepal;F petals;

G lateral sepals;H lip, flattened;J anther cap. A from Walker209, B from Wights.n., C after Bot.
Mag. t. 5701, D from Macrae19, E, F, G, & H from Jayasurya971, J from Macrae10.

acuminate, 7-veined, puberulous. Flowersgolden-yellow with maroon ridges

on the lip. Pedicelwithovary1-1-5 cm long. Sepalsand petalsdensely puberulous
outside, sparsely so inside. Dorsalsepal3 x 1-9cm, obovate-obtuse, 11-veined,
hooded at apex. Lateralsepals3-5 x 1-2cm, ovate-oblong, obtuse-cucullate at
apex, 9-veined. Petals3-4 x 1-5cm, basally narrowed into a short claw 6-8 mm
long, spathulate, obtuse, 9-veined. Lip 3 x 3 cm (at sidelobes across), immo-
bile, slightly saccate at base; sidelobes 2-2 cm long, obtuse-quadrate; midlobe
9 x 8 mm, oblong to orbicular-ovate, recurved, margin undulate; disc with
3-5 fleshy, crenulate ridges terminating on the mid-lobe. Column2 cm long,
slightly curved, narrowly winged, densely puberulous, foot 5 mm long. Anther
cap2-celled, with 2 internal fleshy tubercles at the base. Pollinia8, in 2 groups
of 4, laterally flattened, each joined by an intralocular caudicle; viscidium
absent. (Fig. 1).

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940 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 42(4)

SRI LANKA. Nuwara Eliya District: Kotmale, Oct. 1972, Jayasurya971 (K).
Locality unknown: Walker209 (K); Wights.n. (K); 16 April 1850, without
collector,(CAL); C.P. 2364, J. Walker36 (CAL); J. Thomsons.n. (CAL).
HABITAT. Rather common in open patana lands in the montane zone in
association with grassesand the orchids SatyriumnepalenseD. Don and Spiranthes
sinensis(Pers.) Ames; 900-1850 m.
DISTRIBUTION. Endemic to Sri Lanka, in the districtsof Bandarawela, Gala-
gama, Hakgala, Hantane, Maturata, Namunukula, Nuwara Eliya and Tel-
deniya (fide Jayaweera 1981).
This attractive plant flowers from September until May and is popularly
called the Daffodil Orchid. The type collection in the Lindley Herbarium at
Kew has three scapes each bearing a single flower. Lindley's generic descrip-
tion therefore states 'flos solitarius'.

2. I. malabarica (Reichb.f.)J. D. Hook.,Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 812 (1890); Manilal

& Sathish Kumar in Bull. Pure & Appl. Sci. 2C: 38 (1983). Type: India, Jerdon
s.n. (holotype W).
Pachystoma malabaricum Reichb. f. in Walp. Ann. 6: 462 (1864).
Spathoglottismalabarica(Reichb. f.) U.C. Pradhan, Ind. Orch. 2: 702 (1979).
Terrestrialherb.Tubersunderground, 2-lobed, sheathed, deep purple-violet.
Leaves 25-45 x 0-4-1-5cm, appearing with the inflorescence, narrowly
ensiform,plicate. Inflorescence11-37 cm long, arising from the lateral lobe of the
tuber, sheathed at the base, puberulous, pale violet, 1, very rarely 2-flowered;
floral bracts 2 x 2 cm, oblong-lanceolate, margin involute, connate below
forming a small tube enclosing the pedicel with ovary, hairy outside, sparsely
hairy inside, 9-15-veined, pale violet with darkerveins. Flowersgolden-yellow.
Pedicelwithovary1-2-2-5 cm long. Sepalsand petalsdensely puberulous outside,
sparsely so inside. Dorsalsepal3 x 1-3cm, oblong-lanceolate, cymbiform, apex
cucullate, margin involute, 7-veined. Lateralsepals3-3 x 0-9 cm, ovate-oblong,
slightly oblique, partially adnate to column, 7-veined. Petals3-3 x 1 cm, spath-
ulate, obtuse or subacute, 7-veined. Lip 3 x 2-5 cm, 3-lobed, parallel with
column, point of attachment to column foot forming a short sac; side-lobes
triangular, slightly falcate, enclosing the column, 5-veined, with branching
lateral veins; mid-lobe 1-3-1-4 x 1-1-1 cm, obovate, emarginate-denticulate;
disc with 3-6 serrate keels. Column1-5cm long, arcuate, winged at apex, foot
7 mm long; rostellumbroad, laminar, apex quadrate. Anthercapdensely puber-
ulous, with 2 fleshy tubercles below. (Fig 2).
INDIA.Kerala: Palghat District, Silent Valley: 17 Oct. 1982, SathishKumar
SV 10836 (CALI, K); Poochappara, 9 Nov. 1983, SathishKumarSV 11536
(CALI); Aruvanpara, 27 Nov. 1983, SathishKumarSV 11549 (CALI) & Bank
of Kunthipuzha, 5 Oct. 1979, Nair 64275 (MH, CAL). Malabar, Jerdons.n.
(holotype W).
HABITAT. In moist rocky areas in full sunlight, in association with Tripogon
bromoides,T. ananthaswamianus,
Eulalia sp., Fimbristylissp., Utriculariacoerulea,
Droseraburmanni, etc.; 850-1300 m.
Eriocaulontruncatum,
Flowering occurs from October until December.

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SYNOPSIS OF IPSEA (ORCHIDACEAE) 941

f
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.•. .• • . .\ ."
- /??
?,•,.-• ,;,'- :,,, , ..•....;-
-9L
T" .'
.":.:{ ""
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... ,•'
•-:-',,
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A leaf;B flower;C habit; D flower, front view; E flower, side view; F column
FIG.2. Ipseamalabarica.
& lip.; G dorsalsepal;H lateralsepals;J petals;K lip, flattened;L column& anthercap;M
column, anther removed; N pollinia; P anther cap. A-B from Jerdons.n.; C-E from SathishKumar
SV 11536; F-P from SathishKumarSV 11549.

CONFUSED SPECIES

A plant often confused with Ipsea was described in 1975 by Joseph &
Vajravelu as Eulophia hirsuta. After careful study of many living and herbarium
collections from various parts of Kerala, it became clear that it was neither a
Eulophia nor an Ipsea, but a Pachystoma. This view was confirmed by Dr G.
Seidenfaden (in litt.) to whom a specimen (Sathish Kumar CU 36952) was sent.
The necessary new combination is made below.

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942 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 42(4)

Pachystoma hirsuta (Joseph& Vajravelu)SathishKumar& Manilal comb.

nov.
EulophiahirsutaJoseph & Vajravelu in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 17 (1-4): 192
(1975). Type: India, cult. from material collected in Kerala, Vajravelu
46201
(holotype CAL; isotypes MH, RHT, ASSAM)
Ipsea malabaricasensu Abraham & Vatsala in Intro. Orch. 269 (1981) non
(Reichb. f.) J. D. Hook. (1890).
INDIA. Kerala: Palghat District, Nemmara Division, Karasuryamalai-
Anamada area, 5 March 1975, Vajravelu 46201 C, 46257, 46756 (MH), 17 Feb.
1979, Vajravelu 60508 (CAL, MH); Idukky District, Munnar, 29 Jan. 1976,
Rajappan1532 and 1556 (Univ. Coll. Trivandrum Herb.); Trivandrum Dis-
trict, Ponmudi, Feb. 1979, Chandrasekharan Nair s.n. (Univ. Coll. Trivandrum
Herb.); 27 Dec. 1982, Sathish-Kumar
CU 36952 (CALI, K), 6Jan. 1984, Sathish
Kumar551 (TBGT); Trivandrum District, Agasthya Malai, Feb. 1985, Mathew
6568 (TBGT). Tamil Nadu: Kanyakumari District, Muthukuzhivayal, 1 Feb.
1978, Henry53361 (MH), 15 March 1979, Henry60702 (MH); near Varamutti,
22 March 1981, Henry70607 (MH).
HABITAT. Open rocky areas, damp grassy places; 975-1800 m.
Endemic to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The leaves appear during the June to
July monsoons and the flowers from December until March. This species has
small drooping flowers which do not open fully and are arranged in a sub-
secund inflorescence typical of Pachystoma. The anther cap is two-celled.

EXCLUDED SPECIES

Ipseathomsoniana (Reichb. f.) Pfitz. in Engler & Prantl, Natiirl. Pflanzenfam.

II, 6: 154 (1889) = Ancistrochilus thomsonianus (Reichb.f.) Rolfe.
IpseawrayanaW. J. Hook. in Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 812 (1890) = Mischobulbon
wrayanum (J. D. Hooker) Rolfe.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank the directorsof the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
and the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna for providing photographs and
xerox copies of type material. Valuable help was also provided by DrJ. Joseph,
Dr N. C. Nair, Mr N. C. Rathakrishnan and Mr P. Bhargavan, all of the
Botanical Survey of India, and to Dr G. Seidenfaden and Dr F. Rasmussen of
Copenhagen. Special thanks are due to Mr J. Wood of Kew who edited this
paper. Financial assistance was provided by the Department of Science and
Technology, Government of India under the Silent Valley Flora Project.

REFERENCES

Bentham, G. & Hooker,J. D. (1883). Genera Plantarum 3: 511 (Reprint edn.

1979).
Dressier, R. L. (1981). The Orchids: Natural History and Classification.
Hooker, J. D. (1890). Flora of British India 5: 812-813.
S(1891). Op. cit. 6: 178.
Jayaweera, D. M. A. (1981). Orchidaceae-in Dassanayake, M. D. &
Fosberg, F. R. (eds.), A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon 2: 150.

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SYNOPSIS OF IPSEA (ORCHIDACEAE) 943

Joseph, J. & Vajravelu, E. (1975). Eulophiahirsuta Joseph et Vajravelu

(Orchidaceae)-a new species from South India in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 17
(1-4): 192-194.
Lindley, J. (1831). The genera and species of Orchidaceous plants. (Reprint
edn. 1963).
Pfitzer, E. (1889). Orchidaceae-in Engler, A. & Prantl, K. (eds.). Die
Naturalischen Pflanzenfamilien 2, 6: 155.
Pradhan, U. C. (1979). Indian Orchids: Guide to their culture and
identification 2: 701-702.
Reichenbach, H. G. (1855) in Bonplandia 3: 250-251.
(1862). Orchidaceae-in Walpers, W. G. Annales botanices systematicae
6: 462.
Wight, R. (1851). Icones Plantarum Indiae Orientalis 5: t. 1663 (Reprint edn.
1963.

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