The Umbellifers of Myanmar: a last piece in the Asian puzzle

• Published in: South African journal of botany Vol. 70; no. 3; pp. 427 - 432
• Main Authors: Watson, M.F., Smith, A., van Wyk, B.-E., Tilney, P.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2004
• Subjects: APIACEAE; COLECCIÓN DE PLANTAS; COLLECTION BOTANIQUE; DISTRIBUCIÓN GEOGRÁFICA; DISTRIBUTION GÉOGRAPHIQUE; GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; MYANMAR; PLANT COLLECTIONS; TAXONOMIE; TAXONOMY; TAXONOMÍA
• ISSN: 0254-6299; 1727-9321
• DOI: 10.1016/S0254-6299(15)30226-X

Myanmar (Burma) is one of the last countries in Asia for which a reliable checklist of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) is still lacking, and ongoing research is now addressing this need. A summary is provided of the results of this study to date, including a brief history of the botanical exploration of Myanmar. A further 30 taxa have now been added to the species of Umbelliferae known from Myanmar, bringing the total to 72 species in 28 genera (including several new species awaiting description). The importance of Myanmar plants for the understanding of patterns of variation in Asian members of complex genera such as Heracleum, Ligusticum, Peucedanum and Selinum is illustrated. Many areas of Myanmar are still botanically under-explored, particularly the remote mountainous regions in the north, and it is estimated that the final total of native and naturalised Umbelliferae will be at least 90 species in 40 genera. Our research, predominantly based on extant herbarium specimens, demonstrates the importance of specimens collected in Myanmar that are now housed in UK herbaria.