Phytotaxa 388 (4): 295–300 https://www.mapress.com/j/pt/ Copyright © 2019 Magnolia Press Article PHYTOTAXA ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) Accepted by Sin Yeng Wong: 7 Jan. 2019; published: 23 Jan. 2019 https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.388.4.5 295 Zingiber vuquangense (Sect. Cryptanthium: Zingiberaceae): a new species from North central coast region, Vietnam THỊ-HƯƠNG LÊ 1 , THỊ-HƯƠNG TRỊNH 2,3 , NGỌC-ÐÀI ÐỖ 4 , VIỆT-HÙNG NGUYỄN 5 & NGỌC-SÂM LÝ 2,6* 1 Faculty of Biology, Vinh University, 182, Lê Duẩn, Vinh, City, Nghệ An Province, Vietnam. 2 Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quốc Việt, Cầu Giấy Disstrict, Hà Nội. 3 Faculty of Sciences, Hong Duc University, 565 Quang Trung road, Dong Ve, Thanh Hoa City 4 Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Nghe An College of Economics, 51 Lý Tự Trọng, Vinh City, Nghệ An Province. 5 Vũ Quang National Park, Vũ Quang Town, Vũ Quang District, Hà Tĩnh Province. 6 Department of Biological Resources, Institute of Tropical Biology, VAST, 85 Trần Quốc Toản Road, District 3, Hồ Chí Minh City (*Cor- responding author’s e-mail: lysamitb@gmail.com) Abstract Zingiber vuquangense, a new species of Zingiberaceae, is described and illustrated from North Central Coast region of Vietnam. It is most similar to Z. cornubracteatum, but differs by its smaller plant, longer ligules and petiole, leaf shape, colour of bract, bracteole and flower, and fruit shape. Data on distribution, habitat, vernacular name and uses, a distribution map and a colour plate of the new species are presented. Keywords: New species, Section Cryptanthium, Vietnam, Zingiber Introduction Zingiber Miller (1754: 525) is one of the largest genera in the family Zingiberaceae (Zingiberoideae), comprising approximately 180 species (ZRC 2017). It is widely distributed in tropical to warm-temperate to monsoonal tropical Asia with its centre of diversity in Southeast Asia (Theilade 1998, Škorničková & Newman 2015, Bai et al. 2015). Zingiber is distinguished from other genera of Zingiberaceae by its single anther with beak shaped appendage wrapping around the style. The general introduction to the genus, with particular focus on Vietnam, was given in recent publications by Leong-Škorničková et al. (2015), Lý (2016) and is therefore not repeated here. So far, thirty-three species of Zingiber are reported in Vietnam (Gagnepain 1908, Phạm 2000, Leong-Škorničková et al. 2015, Lý 2016, Lý et al. 2016, 2017), but the actual number is expected to be higher in the near future. During extensive floristic explorations in the Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình provinces of north central coastal region, Vietnam, during 2014–2017, several collections of an interesting Zingiber were collected by the second and third authors in Pù Hoạt Nature Reserve, Vũ Quang and Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Parks, respectively. The collections have procumbent inflorescences somewhat embedded in ground, which belongs to Zingiber sect. Cryptanthium Horaninow (1862: 27). Critical examination of the flowering and fruiting materials, and comparison of type materials and protologues of closely related species from Vietnam and neighbouring countries (e.g. Gagnepain 1908, Theilade 1998, 1999, Phạm 2000, Wu & Larsen 2000, Triboun et al. 2014, Leong-Škorničková et al. 2015, Lý 2016), revealed that it did not match any hitherto described species. It is hence described here as a new species. Material and Method All measurements and description were made from mature individuals of living plants in the field, supplemented with alcohol preserved and herbarium specimens. Type specimens of the morphologically most closely related species were examined and/or accessed as hi-resolution digital images from AAU, BK, E, HN, P, SING, VNM, and VNMN