A recircumscription of Geocharis (Zingiberaceae) as a result of the discovery of a new species in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Recent fieldwork conducted in Sumatra resulted in unusual collections of the conspicuous ginger genus Geocharis , a genus that harbours a total of six species distributed in Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and the Philippines. After carefully reviewing types and protologues of existing taxa, we conclude that the recent collections represent a new species described here as Geocharisglobosa , which is similar to G.aurantiaca , G.rubra and G.radicalis by the flowers spreading evenly in all directions but differs from these by the less divided labellum and by the unstructured and smooth globose fruits. We provide a detailed description and a photographic plate as well as a preliminary Red List Assessment for the new species. With the new species added to Geocharismacrostemon and G.radicalis , the number of species in Sumatra hereby increases to three. A recircumscription of the genus is provided, taking into account the unusual fruit character of the new species.