Smithatris, a new genus of Zingiberaceae from southeast Asia

Smithatris supraneanae W. J. Kress & K. Larsen, gen. et sp. nov. is describ ed and illustrated. The new taxon was first collected in the limestone hill s in the Saraburi Province north of Bangkok, Thailand, and probably ranges into adjacent Burma as well. Smithatris is most closely allied with several genera in the tribe Hedychieae including Curcuma, Stahlianthus, and Hitche nia. It most closely resembles the latter genus sharing the petiolate leave s and long pedunculate inflorescence with congested, pouched bracts, but di ffering in the deeply split labellum and hood-like structure formed by the lateral staminodes and dorsal corolla lobe that partially encloses the anth er. In a separate analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of the genera of the Zingiberaceae based on molecular sequence data, Smithatris forms a n ested assemblage with the above three genera thereby supporting recognition of this new taxon at the generic level. Smithatris is commonly used in cer emonies during the Buddhist lent, is sold as a cut flower in local markets in Saraburi, Thailand, and recently has become widespread in commercial nur series. The fact that this ethnobotanically important plant has remained un known to taxonomists until now suggests that our knowledge of the flora of tropical Asia is still rudimentary.