Table 2. Comparison of Sonerila souvannii Phonep. & Soulad. sp. nov., S. cardamomensis S.H.Cho, S. dongnathamensis Suddee, Phutthai & Rueangr., and S. tuberosa C.Hansen. 1 = from Sinh et al. 2020; 2 = from Suddee et al. 2014; 3 = from Hansen 1989. CharactersS. souvanniiS. cardamomensis 1S. dongnathamensis 2S. tuberosa 3Rhizomecylindrical, 0.8–1 cm in diam.bulbous, 0.4–1 cm in diam.globose (size unknown)a slightly bulb-shaped tuber, 2–4 mm long and wide, completely covered with a dense 0.5 mm thick layer of pale brown intertwined curly hairsStemca 2 cm long, green4-sided, tinged purplish, internodes almost absentabsentacaulescent herb ca 6 cm highLamina (ordinary leaves)ovate, 8–10 × 6–9 cmovate, 1–4 × 0.9–2.7 cmovate to rounded, 2–7 × 2.5–6 cmvery broadly ovate to orbicular, ca (0.5–)1.6–2 cm long and wide; base very broadly cordate, apex very broadly rounded, margin entire to subdenticulateNumber of lateral primary veins4–5 pairs2–3 pairs2–4 pairs7-nerved, all nerves indistinct and only middle one reaching apexPetioles8–15 cm long, light green, densely villous0.4–2.5 cm long, reddish, covered with glandular trichomes5–15 cm long, white to pinkish green, densely villous3–4 cm longPedicel10–25 mm long, sparsely covered with glandular trichomes4–5 mm long, covered with glandular trichome1–4 mm long, glabrous5–6 mm longInflorescencescorpioid cymescorpioid cymesscorpioid cymesscorpioid cymesNumber of flowers per inflorescence20(–25) flowers5–11 flowers5–12 flowers4–8 flowersHypanthium size5–6 × 2–2.5 mm3.5 × 1.3–1.5 mm1.5–4 × 1.5–2 mmca 3.5 x 1 mmPetal9–10 × 6–7 mm, glabrous5.5–6 × 3.5–4 mm, abaxially glandular trichomes on midvein3–5 × 3–4 mm, glabrous5 × 2.7 mm, elliptic, apiculate, thin, pinkCapsule5–7 × 2.5 mm, glabrous3.5–4.0 × 2–2.2 mm, glabrous5–7 × 2–2.5 mm long, glabrousca 4.5 x 1.5 mm, glabrous

Published as part of Phonepaseuth, Phongphayboun, Souladeth, Phetlasy, Souvannakhoummane, Keooudone, Vongthavone, Thyraphon & Tagane, Shuichiro, 2021, Two new species of Sonerila Roxb. (Melastomataceae) from Laos, pp. 142 in European Journal of Taxonomy 755 on page 142, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.755.1403, http://zenodo.org/record/5012980