Wednesday, June 8, 2016

[Botany • 2016] Boeica ornithocephalantha • A New Species (Gesneriaceae) from northern Vietnam


Boeica ornithocephalantha 
F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & T.V.Do

ABSTRACT
 A new species, Boeica ornithocephalantha F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & T.V.Do (Gesneriaceae), is described from the northern part of Vietnam. This new species is most similar to Boeica ferruginea Drake, but clearly differs from the latter by the unusual corolla. A provisional IUCN conservation assessment is provided.

Keywords. Boeica, Gesneriaceae, IUCN conservation assessments, Vietnam 


Distribution. Only known from Pu Hu Nature Reserve, near En Village, Quan Hóa town, Quan Hóa district, Thanh Hóa province, Vietnam.


Habitat. Primarily growing on shaded slopes in valleys above streams, often locally common, at low altitude. It occurs on rocks covered with humus under evergreen forest, not prone to human disturbance.
  
Etymology. The scientific name is due to the perception by the authors that the lateral view of the mature corolla looks like the head of a bird. The epithet, “ornithocephalantha”, is composed of the Greek elements ‘ornitho-’ for bird, ‘cephal-’ for head and ‘-antha’ for flower.

Provisional IUCN Conservation Assessment. Vulnerable VU B2ab(ii,iii).


Fig. 1. Boeica ornithocephalantha F.Wen, Y.G.Wei & T.V.Do.
A. Top view of plant. B. Upward view of plant. D. Front view of cyme. (Photos: Fang Wen)

F. Wen, T.V. Do, X. Hong, S. Maciejewski and Y.G. Wei. 2016. Boeica ornithocephalantha (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from northern Vietnam. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 68(1): 139–144. DOI:  10.3850/S2382581216000107