Technological University Monywa

Amorphophallus wasa Naive, K. Z. Hein & Hett., is described and illustrated as a species new to science from the Sagaing Region, Myanmar. It is morphologically similar to A. saraburiensis Gagnep., but can be easily distinguished by its unilocular ovaries and lack of staminodes between pistillate and staminate zones. A detailed description, colour plates, phenology, distribution map, provisional conservation status and a key to the Amorphophallus species from Myanmar are provided. In addition, A. elatus Hook. f. is reported as a newly recorded species for Myanmar, and the name A. corrugatus N.E.Br. is newly synonymized under A. kachinensis Engl. & Gehrm.

The Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwaddy) and Salween (Thanlwin) globally rank among the largest rivers for supplying dissolved and particulate material to the ocean. Along with the Sittaung and Kaladan rivers they have societal importance to Myanmar in terms water sources and food production. Despite their importance for global biogeochemical cycles and the ~50 million people who live in their catchments, the chemistry of these rivers is poorly known. This study presents a comprehensive survey of dissolved (<0.22 μm) trace element concentrations (Sr, Fe, Al, Ba, Mn, V, Rb, Cu, Zn, As, Li, Ni, Mo, Cr, U, Pb, Sb, Co, Cs, Tl and Cd) at 38 locations within these river catchments, spanning a period of 2 years. The results highlight the global importance of the Irrawaddy and Salween rivers for trace element global biogeochemical cycles; contributing between 1 and 17 % of global dissolved riverine fluxes to the land-ocean interface for the studied elements. Area normalized dissolved fluxes in these catchments are ~2 to 10 times higher than global average values for most elements, consistent with high rates of chemical weathering. In general, anthropogenic activities have yet to significantly perturb dissolved trace element fluxes in these river systems. The presented dataset should therefore serve as a useful ‘natural’ baseline, against which future perturbations driven by climate change and/or the development of Myanmar's mining industry could be assessed. Exceptions to this include As in the Sittaung River and Sb, Zn, Pb and As in the Salween River, which may already be significantly impacted by anthropogenic inputs. The former represents a water quality issue of concern for public health, and so constraining the exact sources of As in the Sittaung River should be considered a priority for future research.

Eulophia myanmarica, a species new to science is herein described from Monywa District, Sagaing Region, Myanmar. The species superficially resembles E. andamanensis but differs significantly in having 5-veined petals and sepals, narrowly oblong dorsal sepal with acute, slightly cucullate apex, obliquely narrowly oblong-elliptic lateral sepals and obliquely triangular sidelobes of the labellum. Detailed morphological description, a colour plate, notes on phenology, distribution, and a provisional conservation assessment are provided below. With this discovery, Myanmar now holds a total number of 19 Eulophia species. Additionally, after merging the genus Geodorum under Eulophia, a new name is needed for Geodorum densiflorum, for which taxonomic notes have been provided.

The Kyaukkyan Fault is an active dextral strike-slip structure that passes 510 km north–south across the western Shan Plateau (e.g. Chhibber 1934; Le Dain et al. 1984; Wang et al. 2014) (Fig. 21.1a). It lies broadly parallel to and about 100–150 km to the east of the central Sagaing Fault. Unlike the rather discrete Sagaing Fault, the Kyaukkyan Fault is characterized by a broad array of splaying segments and basins, dominated by the Inle Lake releasing bend and associated extensional fault systems (Fig. 21.1b). In the north the fault terminates within the complex intersection between the sinistral Kyaukme and Momeik faults, the largely inactive Shan Scarp Fault Zone and the Sagaing Fault. In the south the fault curves to the SW and links with the Mae Ping Fault in Thailand, which itself terminates as it passes east into Cambodia and offshore into the Gulf of Thailand (e.g. Lacassin et al. 1997; Morley 2004; Morley et al. 2011). Several other faults of the western Shan Plateau, such as the Nampun and Taungoo faults, also converge with the western Mae Ping Fault in the region of Papun, indicating that the Mae Ping Fault dissipates or transfers much of the dextral strain of the western Shan Plateau. Fig. 21.1. Kyaukkyan Fault location and overview. ( a ) Tectonic setting of the Kyaukkyan Fault, modified after Morley et al. (2011), Soe Thura Tun & Maung Thein (2012), Wang et al. (2014), Morley & Alvey (2015) and Soe Thura Tun & Watkinson (2017). ( b ) Main faults making up the Kyaukkyan Fault. Solid line: confident interpretation; dashed line: uncertain interpretation; dotted line: other related faults. Earthquake locations from the NEIC and IRIS catalogues 1972–2010. Map location shown in (a). Although it has been devoid of large seismic events for over …