Molecular phylogeny and morphology reveal a new epiphytic species of Habenaria (Orchidaceae; Orchideae; Orchidinae) from Nepal.

Abstract

Habenaria is almost cosmopolitan in distribution having predominantly terrestrial orchids, however; a remarkable epiphytic species with some unique morphological characters was collected from Nepal. We conducted a molecular phylogeny of this unusual Habenaria species using nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (matK, rbcl) DNA sequence regions to infer its systematic position. Our molecular analyses and morphological treatment recognized this newly collected plant as an undescribed species. This species is described here which is closely related to Habenaria plurifoliata but can be distinguished by having its multiple growing callus-shaped tuber, smaller stature with short stem, longer and wider oblanceolate leaves, peduncle with a foliaceous bract and only one sterile bract, lateral sepals oblong, obtuse, petal apex obtuse, lateral lobes of lip spreading upwards, spur not exceeding the ovary and pedicel.