Notes on the Tribe Colocasieae (Araceae)—Reinstatement and Typification of Colocasia kerrii Gagnep

Colocasia kerrii Gagnep. has been treated as a synonym of C. fallax Schott in both the Flora of China and the Flora of Thailand accounts of Colocasia. However, detailed examination of the type material and additional specimens clearly demonstrates that C. kerrii is a distinct species. It can be readily distinguished from C. fallax and other species of Colocasia by the combination of the following characters: a spathe that is only strongly constricted between the spathe base and limb; a spathe limb reflexed and slightly coiled at staminate anthesis; a sessile or subsessile spadix; subsessile stigmas with very short styles; and a sterile zone between the pistillate and staminate zones nearly as long as the pistillate zone and covered with elongate, rhombo-hexagonal synandrodes. The specific status of C. kerrii is therefore reinstated. It is compared with the later described C. bicolor C.L.Long & L.M.Cao, which is here placed in synonymy. The name Colocasia kerrii Gagnep. is lectotypified, and an amended description, updated distribution data, ecological notes, and a preliminary IUCN conservation assessment are provided.