[Botany • 2023] Camellia vanlangensis (Theaceae) • A New Yellow-flowered Species from Vietnam

Camellia vanlangensis V.D. Luong & V.T. Pham,  

in Trinh, Luong, Le et Pham, 2023. 

Trà hoa vàng Văn Lang  || taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/1965

Abstract

A new plant species, Camellia vanlangensis, belonging to the Archecamellia section is described from Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam. It grows up to 8 m tall and has big golden yellow flowers up to 8 cm wide. The flower is a solitary, subterminal, cup-shaped, with glabrous pedicel, 5–6 persistent bracteoles, 9–10 persistent orange-green sepals, and 10–11 petals. It has 130–150 stamens in 5 whorls, glabrous 3–5-loculed ovary, 3–5 distinct styles, 5-rigged and apex sunken of capsule. A detailed comparison between new species and two close related species, C. impressinervis and C. calcicola, is provided. Preliminary IUCN conservation status of this species is assigned as Critically Endangered (CR).

Keyword: Camellia calcicola, Camellia impressinervis, endangered species, flora, plant taxonomy, Van Lang, yellow flowers

Camellia vanlangensis V.D. Luong & V.T. Pham and its natural habitat
A. Branch with flower bud; B. Vegetative bud; C. Adaxial (left) and abaxial (right) leaf surfaces; D. Petiole; E. Leaf base; F. Part of abaxial leaf surface showing sparsely tomentose; G. Leaf blade margin; H. Flower bud (top view); I. Flower bud (lateral view); J. Flowering branch; K. Flower (top view); L. Flower (lateral view); M. Habitat.

Scale bars: A, C = 5 cm; B, D, G = 0.5 cm; E, H, I, K, L = 1 cm; F = 1 mm. 

Photos by N.B. Trinh and B.N. Pham, design by V.T. Pham 

(Trinh Ngoc Bon and Pham Binh Nguyen Bon 211101).

Camellia vanlangensis V.D. Luong & V.T. Pham, sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: The new species most differs from Camellia impressinervis Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang (1979) with its cordate leaves base (vs. rounded to obtuse), more secondary leaf veins (16–22 vs. 9–11 pairs), longer sepals (3.5–4.3 vs. 0.1–1.0 cm), and larger capsules 4–5 vs. 3 cm. It’s most distinct from C. calcicola T.L.Ming (1993) by its sparse tomentose on leaves (vs. glabrous in adaxial and pubescent in abaxial surfaces), longer sepals (3.5–4.3 vs. 0.9–1.4 cm), glabrous petals and filaments (vs. pubescent), and glabrous ovary and style (vs. pubescent)

Etymology: The epithet "vanlangensis" refers to an ancient name of Vietnam, Van Lang. 

Proposed Vietnamese name: Trà hoa vàng Văn Lang

Ngoc Bon Trinh, Van Dung Luong, Nguyet Hai Ninh Le and Van The Pham. 2023. Camellia vanlangensis (Theaceae, Sect. Archecamellia), A New Yellow-flowered Species from Vietnam. Taiwania. 68(4); 465-471. taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/1965