DARIUSZL.

SZLACHEaXO

Gdansk Unive~ity, Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Protection, 81378 Gdynia, AI. Marsz. Pilsudskiego
46, Poland

Burnsbaloghia, a New Mexican Genus of the Subtribe Spiranthinae

(Orchidaceae)

KEYWORDS

Taxonomy,Bumsbaloghiagen. nov., Orchidaceae,Mexico

ABSTRACT

SZLACHEI~OD.L. (1991): Bumsbaloghia, a new Mexican genus of the subtribe Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae). -
Folia Geobot. Phytotax.,Praha, 26: 397-402. - A new monotypicgenus BumsbaloghiaSZIACHETKO- based on the
speciesSpiranthesdiaphanaLINDL.- originatingfrom the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is described. Four illustrations
are provided.

Spiranthes diaphana was described by LINDLEY in 1944. A year later Richard and Galeotti
proposed a new species - Spiranthes chloraeformis, and 53 years later Robinson and
Greenman circumscribed Spiranthes oaxacana. All these descriptions were based on
materials originating from the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, and all very similar to one another.
Now S. chloraeformis RICH. et GAL. and S. oaxacana ROB. et GREENM. are considered as
synonymous with S. diaphana LINDL. (BLrRNS-BALOGH1986).
The taxonomical position of S. diaphana was very unclear. SCHLECHTER (1920) included S.
chloraeformis in his new genus Deiregyne.
Due to the similarity of the gynostemium structure and perianth morphology to that of
Spiranthes transversalis RICH. et GAL. (the type of Schiedeella SHLECHTER)BURNS-BALOGH
(1986a) connected Spiranthes diaphana with the genus Schiedeella. GARAY (1982) chose
Spiranthes chloraeformis as the lectotype of Deiregyne ScnLncrrrER. In her early works,
Balogh proposed Spiranthes hemichrea LINDL. as the type species for this genus (1980, 1982).
In my opinion, the Burns-Balogh concept of Deiregyne is closer to that of SCHLECHTER (1920).
According to Schlechter, Deiregyne should be considered as related to Sarcoglottis PRESL due
to a similar adnate nectar spur, connate sepals and erect flowers (for detailed discussion see
BtmNS-BALOGH 1986, 1988). However, the spur of Spiranthes diaphana is differently built
(Fig. 1). Its structure is reminiscent of a cuniculus (see DRESSLER 1981). It Consists of the
398 FOLIA GEOBOTANICA Err PHYTOTAXONOMICA, 26, 1991

II

I t
. J

Fig. 1. Burnsbaloghia diaphana (LINDL.) SZLAEHETKO- a. longitudinal section of flower, b. anther ventral view, c.
dorsal view of the gynostemium apex;, Schiedeella llaveana (LINDL.) SCHLECHTER: d. longitudinal section of
flower, e. rostellum remnant, f. anther ventral view, g. dorsal view of the gynostemium apex; Sarcoglottis acaulis
(J.E.SM.) SCI-ILECHTER : h. longitudinal section of flower, i. dorsal view of the gynostemium apex, k. rostellum
remnant. Drawn from materials preserved in liquid (Scales i ram).
SZLACHErKO: 8URNSBALOGI-UA 399

PRINGLE 6101

Fig. 2. Perianth dissection of isotype of Spiranthes oaxacana ROB. et GREENM.,MO: a. dorsal sepal, b. petal, c.
lateral sepal, d. lip. (scales 1 ram)

ventral surface of the gynostemium, instead of the column foot and the lip. So in this
respect it differs from both Deiregyne and Sarcoglottis.
BLrRNS-BALOGH(1986) includes Spiranthes diaphana in the section Eriophora together with
the following species: Schiedeella albovaginata (C. SCrIWEINF.)BALOGH,S. congestiflora (L. O.
WILLIAMS) BALOGH, S. eriophora (ROB. et GREENM.) SCHLECHTER, S. trilineata (LINDL.)
BALOGH, etc. This classification is based on the presence of scarious bracts and the similar
colour of nectary patches. But the differences in gynostemium structure and perianth
morphology between Spiranthes diaphana and Spiranthes transversalis, or any other species of
Schiedeella sensu BURNs-BALOGH are very significant. The gynostemium of Spiranthes
diaphana is erect and slender. The column foot is completely reduced. The rostellum
remnant is shortly 3-dentate with the middle tooth slightly longer than the laterals. The
stigma gradually transforms into the rostellum and that is why its base is so broad, The
400 FOLIA GEOBOTANICA El' PHYTOTAXONOMICA,26, 1991

anther is totally hidden by the rostellum. The hypochile of the S. diaphana lip is very long
and narrow. None of the species of Schiedeella produces such a callus lip as S. diaphana does
(Plate 9). For these reasons, I propose to separate Spiranthes diaphana I_ZNDL.into the new
genus.

Burnsbaloghia SZLACHETKO,gen. nov.

Radices fasciculatae, carnosae. Inflorescentia compacta brevis capitullformis. Bracteae

magnae scariosae. Ca/car typi "cunicnli". Hypochilium longum angustum. Epichilium ovato-
sagittatum, basi incrassatione V-formi pubescenti instructum. Rostellum viscidio ablato
triangulare, apice 3-denticulato: denticulus medius acutus, latera/ibus paulum longior. Pes
reductus. A generibus Schiedeella SCHLECHTER et Deiregyne SCHLECHTER labelli
configuratione, epichilio basi incrassato, rostelli residui distincte tridenticulato differt.
This genus honors Dr Pamela Burns-Ba/ogh for her many years of study of the subtribe
Spiranthinae.
It contains only one species, Burnsbaloghia diaphancL

Burnsbaloghia diaphana 0_Z~LEY) SZLACHETKOcomb. nov.

Basionym:SpiranthesdiaphanaLINDLEY,Bot. Reg., Misc., 30: 12, 1844.
Type: Jones s.n. (K-Lindleyholotype).

Synonymy:SpirantheschloraeformisRICHARDet GALEOTn, Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 3(3): 33, 1845. - Type: Galeotti
5008 (P holotype, W-Reichenbach isotype).
Spiranthes oaxacana ROBINSONet GREENMAN,Proc. Amer. Acad. 32: 34, 1897. - Type: Pringle 6101 (US-
holotype, BM, EDA, F, G, If, MO, - Fig. 2, NY, P, W, WU-isotypes).
Gyrostachyschloraeforrnis(RICH.et GAL.)O. II~UNTZERev. Gen. H: 664.
Deiregynechloraeforrnis(RICH.et GAL.)SCHLECt-rrERBeih. Bot. Centralbl. 37 (2): 426, 1920.
Schiedeellachloraeformis(RICH.et GAL.)BALOGH,Orquidea (Mex.) 8(1): 38, 1981.
Deiregynediaphana (LINDL.)GARAy,Bot. Mus. Leafl. 28(4): 312, 1982.
Schiedeelladiaphana (LIND.)BURNS-BALOGrlet GREENWOOD,Orquidea (Mex.) 10(1): 93, 1986.
Bumsbaloghia diaphana (LI~LEY) SZLACHETKO(Fig. 3)

Terrestrial perennial. Plant 45-60 cm in height. Roots 2.5-20 cm long and 3-10 m m in
diameter, fasciculated, fleshy, densely, white pubescent. Flowering spike erect, stiff, smooth
ensheathed by bracts and with the remains of leaves at base. Sheaths white, brown-vetoed,
smooth, membranaceous, adhered to the stem, slightly set apart at the apex, acute, longer
than internodes, beneath the inflorescence gathered into the dense rosette. Leaves 1-3, at
base of the stem, usually fading at flowering time, sessile, lanceolate, acute. Inflorescence 18-
50 mm long, dense, subcapitate to capitate, axis smooth. Bracts up to 30 mm long and 10-20
m m wide, white, brown veined, smooth, cordate to ovate-oblong, broadest at the base, 2-3
times longer that the ovary. Flowers relatively large, resupinate, tubiformed, puffed up and
set apart at apex only. Sepals fused together at the base. Ovary and sepals pubescent. Dorsal
sepal 15-19 m m long, 3-6 m m wide, white with 3 green veins, lanceolate, broadest above the
middle, acute to more or less obtuse, concave. Lateral sepals 15-19 m m long, 2.9-3.5 m m
wide, white with green central vein, asymetric, more or less narrowly sagittate to arcuate-
sagittate, broadest above the middle, acute, arcuate unbent. Petals 14.5-18.5 m m long, 1.7-2
mm wide, white, smooth, adnate to the dorsal sepal, asymetric, narrowly sagittate, oblong,
SZLACHETKO:BURNSBALOGHIA 401

~ ~<\~ i1
,~! i ~ ~ ~ ,

i G 317

Fig. 3. Bumsbaloghia diaphana (LINDL.) SZLACHETKO: a. flower side view, b. dorsal sepal, e. petal, d. lateral
sepal, e. lip, f. bare column apex, bottom, g. bract. Drawn from material preserved in liquid. (scales i ram).
402 FOLIA GEOBOTANICA ET PHYI~TAXONOMICA, 26, 1991

broadest at half-length or below, acute. Lip consists of hypochile and epichile. Hypochile 7-9
mm long, 2-2.5 m m wide, green, narrowly trough-shaped, with thickened edges and adhering
nectary patches, pubescent on the outside. Epichile 9.5-11 m m long and 5.5-8 m m wide, white
with green veines on the yellow base, widely ovate-sagittate, with or without constriction in
the middle, at the base of an epichile white-greenish, thick, V-shaped, pubescent callus.
Gynostemium up to 17 m m long, erect to arcuate, narrow, half-fused with ,the dorsal sepal,
pubescent lower surface of gynostemium, reduced foot. Stigmatic surface large and broad.
Rostellum 1.4-2.2 m m long, massive, broadly triangular, with viscidium - narrowly triangular
at apex, rostellum remnant - 3-dentate, middle tooth acute, short, but distinctly longer than
laterals. Anther 6.5 man long, brown, oblong-ovate. Viscidium nearly sheath-like. Pollinarium
narrowly V-shaped. Capsule 9-13 m m long, with flower drying on the top.

Distribution: Monotypic genus found so far only in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, on dry
exposed slopes, between shrubs, among dry sparse oaks, in loamy soil, between 1800 and
2400 m altitude. Examined collection: Mexico, State of Oaxaca: Portillo de Lorenzo E of
Mifla, 2.1.1970, Pollard S-135 (SEL) - 5 miles of Oaxaca City 25.12.1971,.Walker 72012 (K) -
Foothills of Mt. San Felipe, N of Oaxaca town, 21.03.1934, Nagel (sub. Ostlund) 3804 (MO,
US) - Santo Domingo, Diciem. 22, 1906, Conzatti 1643 (F) - Mt. near road from San Lorenzo
to Mifla, 5.4.1934, Nagel (sub Sawyer) 3783 (F) - G - 317 Burns-Balogh spirit collection.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to Dr. T. Tacik for providingthe Latin diagnosis, the Curators of herbaria at BM, EDA, F, G, K,
MO, NY, P, SEL, US, W and WU for the loan of herbarium specimens, and to Dr. Pamela Burns-Baloghfor the
spirit materials supplied.

LITERATURE CITED

BALOGHP. (1980): Systematic studies of subtribe Spiranthinae LINDLEY(Orchidaceae). - Ph.D. dissertation.

Universityof Maryland.
BALOOHP. (1982): Generic redefu~tion in subtribe Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae). - Amer. J. Bot. 69: 1119-1132.
BURNS-BALOGHP. (1986): A synopsisof Mexican Spiranthinae. - Orqnidea (Mex~)10 (1): 47-96.
BURNS-BALOGHP. (1988): A monograph of the genus Deiregyne SCHLECHTER(subtribe Spiranthinae, tribe
Cranichideae, subfamilySpiranthoideae, Orchidaceae). - Orqnidea (Mex.). 11:131-201.
DRESSLERR.L. (1981): The orchids - natural history and dassification. - Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, 332 pp.
GARAYL.A. (1982): A generic revision of the Spiranthinae. - Bot. Mus. Leafl. 28: 277-425.
SCHLECHTERR. (1920): Versuch einer Systematischen Neuordnung der Spiranthinae. - Beih. Bot. Centralbl., 37:
317-454.

Received 29th November, 1989, accepted 25th June 1990