THE DIVERSITY OF YELLOW CAMELLIAS IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, VIETNAM

The Central Highlands (Tây Nguyên) is a center of yellow camellia diversity in Vietnam and the world. The Central Highlands contains 18 of Vietnam’s yellow camellia species, accounting for 37% of yellow camellia species in Vietnam and 28% of yellow camellia species worldwide. Moreover, all 18 yellow camellia species in the Central Highlands are endemic to Vietnam. The camellias of the Central Highlands belong to nine sections, accounting for 75% of the world. The yellow colors occur in three groups: pale yellow, yellow, and yellow with compound colors. The yellow camellia distribution is dispersed at 500–1600 m elevation in evergreen broadleaf forests and mixed wood-bamboo forests

CAMELLIA HOABINHENSIS (THEACEAE: SECT. CHRYSANTHA), A NEW YELLOW-FLOWERED SPECIES FROM NORTHERN VIETNAM

A new species, Camellia hoabinhensis (section Chrysantha, Theaceae), is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from a lowland forest on limestone hills in Hoa Binh Province, northern Vietnam. The species is characterized by its small habit to 4.5 m tall, large flowers 9.0–9.5 cm in diameter with 18–19 light yellow petals, and hairy filaments, ovaries, and styles. A comparison of the new species with similar species, C. euphlebia, C. impressinervis, C. phanii, and C. velutina, is provided. The IUCN conservation status of the proposed species is Data Deficient (DD)

AN UPDATED CHECKLIST AND COMMENTS FOR SECTION PIQUETIA (CAMELLIA, THEACEAE)

New Camellia species in section Piquetia have recently been discovered. It is necessary to enumerate the number of species and update the specific characteristics of this section. Based on the study of more than 30 pieces of literature and a large number of specimens, a total of 15 species belonging to section Piquetia, including two new species, are identified. A taxonomic key to all species is provided, and typical characteristics of the section are also discussed. Information on the distribution, ecology, and conservation status of each species, as well as notes on the differences between closely related species, is also provided.

. In vitro propagation of the new orchid Dendrobium trankimianum T. Yukawa

Dendrobium trankimianum T. Yukawa is a beautiful, endemic orchid of Vietnam, a new species with a first - published description in 2004. It is very rare and expected to be added to the IUCN Red List status - CR. In vitro studies of orchid D. trankimianum T. Yukawa were conducted in order to conserve and increase the genetic pool of this precious wild orchid species. The results showed that full-strength MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA (10.24 PLBs/explant; 90.11% explants formed PLBs) or full-strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L TDZ and 0.5 mg/L NAA (14.11 PLBs/explant; 92.06% explants formed PLBs) were the most suitable for protocorm formation. For subculture, suitable growth of shoots were obtained on full-strength MS medium supplemented 1.5 mg/L BA (22.35 shoots/explant; shoots length of 1.96 cm) and full-strength MS medium supplemented with 60 g ripe banana per liter (25.11 shoots/explant; shoots length of 2.12 cm). The shoots in vitro were transferred to half-strength MS supplemented with different concentrations of IAA, IBA and NAA to investigate root formation. The best rooting occurred at 0,5 mg/L NAA (7.91 roots/shoot; root length of 4.01 cm; 98.51% root formation). The plantlets with uniform growth were planted on different substrate: Eco clean soil, Coconut fiber, Fern fiber, 50% Rice husk in combination with 50% Eco clean soil for research the most suitable substrate. After 60 days of transplantion and acclimatization, the result showed that Fern fiber was suitable substrate for plantlet growth in a nursery garden (8.0 roots/ explant; root length of 5.5 cm; survival rate of 93.29%)

CAMELLIA QUYNHII (THEACEAE, SECT. STEREOCARPUS), A NEW YELLOW SPECIES FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, VIETNAM

Camellia quynhii is described and illustrated as a new species of section Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy from 12th village, Vu Bon Commune, Krong Pak District, Dak Lak Province. C. quynhii resembles C. dormoyana (Pierre) Sealy but differs in several morphological characteristics: sepals 6–7; petals about 12–15; filaments tomentose at the base; style 3(–4), basally united; capsule 3(–4) locular, 2–6 seeds in each locule. Information on its phenology, distribution, ecology, and conservation status is also provided.Camellia quynhii is described and illustrated as a new species of section Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy from 12th village, Vu Bon Commune, Krong Pak District, Dak Lak Province. C. quynhii resembles C. dormoyana (Pierre) Sealy but differs in several morphological characteristics: sepals 6–7; petals about 12–15; filaments tomentose at the base; style 3(–4), basally united; capsule 3(–4) locular, 2–6 seeds in each locule. Information on its phenology, distribution, ecology, and conservation status is also provided

Camellia proensis V. D. Luong, Doudkin & V. H. Quach 2021, sp. nov.

Camellia proensis V.D.Luong, Doudkin & V.H.Quach, sp. nov. (Figs. 1, 2) Type:— VIETNAM. Lam Dong Province, Don Duong District, Pro Commune, 800–1100 m elev., 8 March 2015, Quach Van Hoi, Luong Van Dung DUNG.150301 (holotype, isotypes, DLU!). Description:— Small tree, 5–6 m tall. Young branches glabrous, light brown buds. Leaves oblong-elliptic, apex acuminate, base rounded or acute, adaxial and abaxial surfaces glabrous, 7.5–8.5 cm wide, 33–35 cm long; petioles 1–2 cm long, glabrous; lateral veins almost parallel, midrib and lateral veins clearly show in the abaxial surfaces, margin denticulate. Flowers 1–3 in the axillary, flower buds globose, 1.3–1.7 cm wide, flower 4.0– 5.5 cm diameter, peduncle branched or not, 3.0– 5.5 cm long, glabrous. Bractlets 2–3, light green, triangular, dropping quickly before the fruiting season, glabrous, 1–2 mm wide 1.5–3.0 mm tall. Sepals 5, hemisphere, persistent, light green, pubescent on the outside, glabrous on the inside, 6–12 mm tall, and 9–15 mm wide. Petals 5–6, almost round to obovate, light yellow, pubescent on the outside, glabrous on the inside, 1.7–1.8 wide and 1.7–2.4 cm tall. Stamens numerous, in 4–5 whorls, 1.5–2.0 cm long, outer filaments basally connate into a tube, filament tube 5–7 mm tall and adnate to the base of petals, pubescent at the base of inner filaments. Ovary globose, tomentose, 3.5–4.0 mm tall and 4–5 mm wide, has grooves, the ovary has 4–5 locular. Styles ripped 4–5 to base, tomentose to ½ from the base, 1.5–1.8 cm long. Fruit flat-globose, 4.0– 5.5 cm tall and 8.5–10.0 cm wide, sparse hair, capsule five locular, 1-locular with two seeds, pericarp 1–1.3 cm thick. Seeds spherical, hemispherical or wedge-shaped, glabrous, 1.6–2.0 cm wide, 2.3–2.6 cm long. Affinity:— Camellia proensis is morphologically similar to C. sonthaiensis in glabrous young branches and leaves; sepals 5, hairy on the outside; petal light yellow, hairy on the outside, from which it is distinguished by the size of mature fruit, 3.0– 3.5 cm in diameter, 1.5–2.0 cm deep (C. sonthaiensis), 4.0– 5.5 cm tall, 8.5–10.0 cm wide (C. proensis). Etymology:— The species is named after the location where the authors first found this plant. Pro is the name of Pro commune, Don Duong District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Habitat:— This species is distributed in the evergreen broadleaf forest, the foot of the mountain where the slope is low, along the sides of the stream with relatively high humidity, or near the edge of the forest, where there is plenty of light. The species is distributed at elevations 800–1100 m, Pro commune, Don Duong District, Ta Nang Commune, Duc Trong District, Lam Dong Province. Phenology:— These species produce buds and start to flower from January to March. Flowers bloom in late February, bearing fruits from August to October. Note:— Camellia proensis has characteristics flowers 1–3 on a short bracteate shoot in axils of old leaves; flowers pedicellate, nodding. Bractlets 2–3, dropping quickly before the fruiting season; sepals 5, persistent; petals 5–6, inter petals united with outermost filaments. Gynoecium superior, ovary 4–5 locular, tomentose; styles 4–5, free. The new species has many characteristics of the section Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy as flowers are borne on a short shoots in the leaves’ axils, usually, 3–5 flowers on a shoot but sometimes one only. Flowers pedicellate, nodding, pedicel very stout, thickened upwards; bracteoles 2–3, persistent; sepals 5, persistent; petals eight or more; stamen free above the union with the petals, puberulous inside; gynoecium densely hairy; styles 5 or 6 (Pierre 1877, Sealy 1958). Therefore Camellia proensis is classified into section Piquetia. Currently, the species in the sect. Piquetia occurring in Vietnam are: C. dalatensis, C. dongnaiensis, C. honbaensis, C. longii, C. piquetiana and C. sonthaiensis (Pierre 1877, Sealy 1958, Orel 2006, Tran & Luong 2012, Orel et al. 2014, Luu et al. 2018). The new taxon is easily distinguishable from C. honbaensis, C. piquetiana and C. longii by the yellow flowers; from C. dalatensis by the glabrous twigs and leaves; from C. dongnaiensis by light yellow flowers; from C. sonthaiensis by mature fruit flat-globose, 4.0– 5.5 cm tall and 8.5–10.0 cm wide.Published as part of Hoi, Quach Van, Dung, Luong Van, Doudkin, Roman V., Averyanov, Leonid V., Thinh, Bui Bao, Lieu, Nguyen Thi & Truong, Luu Hong, 2021, Camellia proensis (Theaceae, sect. Piquetia), a new species from Southern Vietnam, pp. 137-141 in Phytotaxa 479 (1) on pages 138-140, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.479.1.12, http://zenodo.org/record/541329

Camellia proensis V. D. Luong, Doudkin & V. H. Quach 2021

Key to Camellia proensis and related species: 1a. Flowers red.........................................................................................................................................................................................2 1b. Flowers orange or yellow...................................................................................................................................................................3 2a. Ovary 3.......................................................................................................................................................................... C. honbaensis 2b. Ovary 5...............................................................................................................................................................................................4 3a. Flowers orange........................................................................................................................................................... C. dongnaiensis 3b. Flowers yellow...................................................................................................................................................................................5 4a. Petal 5–6, campanulate........................................................................................................................................................... C. longii 4b. Petal 8 or more, rotate.................................................................................................................................................... C. piquetiana 5a. Young branches and leaves hairy.................................................................................................................................... C. dalatensis 5b. Young branches and leaves glabrous..................................................................................................................................................6 6a. Leaves narrowly lanceolate; ovary (3)–4; mature fruits capsular, corky shape, 3.0– 3.5 cm in diameter, 1.5–2.0 cm tall....................................................................................................................................................................................................... C. sonthaiensis 6b. Leaves oblong-elliptic; ovary 4–5 locular; mature fruits capsular, flat-globose, 8.5–10.0 cm wide, 4.0– 5.5 cm tall..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... C. proensisPublished as part of Hoi, Quach Van, Dung, Luong Van, Doudkin, Roman V., Averyanov, Leonid V., Thinh, Bui Bao, Lieu, Nguyen Thi & Truong, Luu Hong, 2021, Camellia proensis (Theaceae, sect. Piquetia), a new species from Southern Vietnam, pp. 137-141 in Phytotaxa 479 (1) on page 140, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.479.1.12, http://zenodo.org/record/541329