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| Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao, in Zhao. 2025. 三萼茶 || DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.257.152000 |
Abstract
Camellia sect. Thea contains plants of beverage sources with huge profits. Their natural germplasm resources have yet to be fully explored. Here, morphological, phenological and phylogenetic analyses were undertaken to reveal a new species of tea plants, C. yangii D.Wei Zhao. It is described with an illustration and photos of fresh characters provided. The new species is similar to C. fangchengensis and C. ptilophylla by the densely pubescent new branchlets, abaxial surface of leaves and pedicel, but differs from them in bearing a larger flower, fewer (3 vs. 5) but larger sepals, and the indumentum of the sepals. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using RPB2 introns 11–15 and 23 and waxy suggests that it is a member of C. sect. Thea and its phylogenetically closely related species are C. longissima and C. taliensis. Camellia yangii has a later flowering phase compared with other taxa of C. sect. Thea that occurred or were planted nearby, so it cannot naturally hybridize with other tea plants. The new species bears a red or purplish red and densely pubescent terminal bud, which suggests it is a rare germplasm resource of tea plants. Camellia yangii is only known from a single extremely vulnerable population and strict conservation and asexual propagations are urgently needed to avoid extinction.
Key words: Beverage, diversity, genetic resources, Yunnan
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| Illustration of Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao, sp. nov. A. Branchlet with flowers; B. A node of branchlet, showing the indumenta of the branchlet, leaf, and bud; C. A part of androecium and a petal; D. Pedicel, receptacle and gynoecium of a flower; E. Capsule; F. Seed. Drawn by Chen M.Q. |
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| Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao, sp. nov. A. Habit; B, C. Branchlets; D. Abaxial surface of leaf; E. Flower buds; F. Flower; G. A dissected flower without bracteoles, 1-sepals, 2-petals, 3-androecium, 4-pedicel, receptacle and gynoecium; H. Bracteoles; I. Pedicel, receptacle and gynoecium of a flower; J, K. Capsule. Scale bars: 5 cm (C); 1 cm (E, I, J, K); 2 cm (F); 2 mm (H). Photos: Zhao D.W. (A); Yang S.X. (B–K). |
Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Similar to C. fangchengensis and C. ptilophylla by the densely pubescent new branchlets, abaxial surface of leaves and pedicel, but differs from them in bearing a larger flower (4–5.5 cm in diam. vs. 2–3.5 cm in diam.), less (3 vs. 5) but larger (8–9 × 10–13 mm vs. 2.5–7 × 3.5–7 mm) sepals, and sericeous (vs. glabrous) adaxial surface of the sepals (Table 1).
Etymology. Camellia yangii is named after the leading collector of its type, Dr. Shixiong Yang, an expert of the family Theaceae at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Chinese name of C. yangii is proposed as ”三萼茶” because it bears three sepals in the flower.
Dongwei Zhao. 2025. Camellia yangii (Theaceae), A New Species of Tea Plants (Camellia section Thea). PhytoKeys. 257: 247-256. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.257.152000
