Microsoft Word - SC-5. Lectotypification of Dioscorea_Galley proof_Approved 13.6.15.doc


Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 23(1): 87-89, 2016 (June) - Short communication 
© 2016 Bangladesh Association of Plant Taxonomists 
 

LECTOTYPIFICATION OF DIOSCOREA ZINGIBERENSIS 
(DIOSCOREACEAE), AN ENDEMIC SPECIES FROM CHINA 

 
RAVIKIRAN S. PAGARE1, ARISDASON WILSON2 AND MALAPATI K. JANARTHANAM 

 
Department of Botany, Goa University, Goa 403206, India 

 
Keywords: Dioscorea; Lectotype; Syntype; China. 

 
 

 Wright (1903) described Dioscorea zingiberensis (sect. Stenophora Uline), a species endemic 
to China, based on the collections from Ichang, China. The specimens studied, annotated and 
listed in the protologue by the author are: ICHANG: A. Henry 407, 1520, 1621! The syntypes are 
housed at K and BM. At BM, except A. Henry  1621 (BM-000958177, image!), the other syntypes 
could not be traced, however, the specimens bearing the same collector’s name and field numbers 
A. Henry 407, 1520, 1621! could be located at CAL. 
 Among the all syntypes, the specimen, viz. Ichang and immediate neighbourhood, 02/1887, A. 
Henry, 1520 at K [http://specimens.kew.org/herbarium/K000098098] has been selected here as the 
lectotype for the name. Uline who studied its duplicate specimens at B (B-10 0296760, image!) 
annotated it as Dioscorea henryi Uline, probably on 6 April 1891, but did not publish the name. 
Later Diels (1900) published the name Dioscorea henryi in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29(2): 261. 1900 
(nom. nud.), including the same specimen without description. Hence, Wright must have inscribed 
“D. henryi Uline in Engl., Jahrb. xxix. p. 261, (nom. nud.)” besides the name D. zingiberensis. 
 
Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36: 93 (1903).  (Fig. 1). 
Type: CHINA: Ichang and immediate neighbourhood, 02/1887, A. Henry 1520 (Lectotype 
K000098098, image! designated here).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                            
1Corresponding author. Email: ravikiranpagare@gmail.com  
2Botanical Survey of India, CGO Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700 064, West Bengal, India. 
 



88 PAGARE et al. 

 

 
 

Fig. 1. Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright (A. Henry 1520 [K000098098, image!], K; Lectotype) [© RBG, 
Kew]. 

 



LECTOTYPIFICATION OF DIOSCOREA ZINGIBERENSIS 89 

 

Acknowledgements 
 Authors are grateful to the Board of Trustees of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for permission 
to publish the image of the selected lectotype and authorities of CAL, for permitting to consult the 
herbarium. First author is thankful to Dr. K.N. Gandhi, Senior Nomenclatural Registrar, HUH, 
Cambridge, for suggestions and also to UGC-RGNF (2013-14/RGNF-2013-14-SC-GOA-44299), 
for the financial assistance. 
 
References 
Diels, F.L.E. 1900. Die Flora von Central-China. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29(2): 169–659. 
Wright, C.H. 1903. Dioscoreaceae. In: An Enumeration of all the Plants known from China Proper, Formosa, 

Hainan, Corea, the Luchu Archipelago, and the Island of Hongkong together with their Distribution 
and Synonymy. J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 36: 90–94. 

 
 

(Manuscript received on 1 February 2016; revised on 10 April 2016)