海南山茶 Camellia hainanica Y.L. Zhao et Z.G. XuCamellia hainanica

Camellia hainanica Y.L. Zhao et Z.G. Xu  published in Pak. J. Bot., 52(3): 1025-1032, 2020.

Type: China. Hainan Province: Chengmai County, Changshu Village, elev. 80 m, 19°38' 25.56" N, 110°0', 56.02" E, 26 Aug 2017, YL Zhao & ZG Xu 170801(holotype: SYS! isotype: IBSC!).

Diagnosis: Species affinis C. oleiferae Abel., sed capsulis majorius 3-6 cm in diametric, pericarpio brunneo aspero differt.

Description: Small trees, 4–8 m tall. Young branches grayish brown; current year branchlets reddish brown, pubescent. Petiole 5–7 mm, pubescent; leaf blade elliptic or oblong -elliptic, 5–8× 2–3 cm, leathery, abaxially pale green and glabrous, adaxially dark green and hirtellous along midvein or glabrescent, midvein raised on both surfaces, secondary veins 6–8 on each side of midvein, abaxially slightly raised or invisible, and adaxially slightly impressed, base broadly cuneate or cuneate, margin serrulate, apex acute to shortly acuminate and with an obtuse tip. Flowers solitary or paired, axillary or subterminal, 6–9.3 cm in diam., subsessile. Bracteoles and sepals 10–12 or more, caducous, margin ciliolate; outer bracteoles and sepals semi-orbicular, 1–3 mm, glabrous; inner bracteoles and sepals sepaloid, ovate to suborbicular, 0.8 to 1 cm, outside tomentose, inside glabrous, margin ciliolate. Petals 5–7, white, distinct, obovate, 3–4.5× 1.5–3 cm, apically 2-parted or emarginate. Stamens 1.2–1.5 cm, glabrous; outer filament whorl basally connate for 2 -3 mm. Ovary tomentose, 3–4 -loculed; styles 3–4, 1–1.5 cm, glabrous or base tomentose, apically 3–4 -parted or distinct nearly to base. Capsule globose or compressed globose, 3–6 cm in diam., 3–4 -loculed with 1–3 seeds per locule; pericarp 3 -5 mm thick when dry, woody, brown, rough, splitting into 3–4 valves, Seeds brown, semi-globose, 2–2.5cm in diam.

Phenology: Flowering Nov–Dec; Fruiting Aug–Oct.

Etymology: The specific epithet “hainanica” means the species is collected from Hainan Island, China.

Distribution and habitat: So far, Camellia hainanica is known from its type locality, Chengmai County in Hainan, China. It occurs in evergreen broadleaved forests edges or along village. According to our field survey, three populations are found from two towns (Jinjiang Town and Honggang Town) of Chengmai County, respectively.

Paratypes: China. Hainan Province: Chengmai County, Changshu Village, elev. 80 m, 19° 38' 25.56" N, 110° 0' 56.02" E, 15 Nov. 2016, YL Zhao & XG Shi 161131 （SYS）; Chengmai County, Beifang Village, elev. 83 m, 19°38' 11.20" N, 109°59' 20.40" E, 21 Oct. 2016, YC Tang & L Wu 161021 (ZNL); Chengmai County, Honggang Village, elev. 85 m, 19°34' 00" N, 110°03' 20" E, 30 Oct. 2016, L Wu & W Zhang 161030 (ZNL).

Chengmai County, Hainan, China

海南山茶 Camellia hainanica Y.L. Zhao et Z.G. Xu  published in Pak. J. Bot., 52(3): 1025-1032, 2020.

小乔木，高4-8米。幼枝灰褐色；当年生小枝红褐色，被柔毛。叶柄长5-7毫米，被柔毛；叶片椭圆形或长圆状椭圆形，长5-8厘米，宽2-3厘米，革质，下面淡绿色，无毛，上面深绿色，沿中脉被糙毛或后脱落，中脉两面凸起，次脉在中脉两侧各6-8条，下面微凸起或不可见，上面微凹陷，基部宽楔形或楔形，边缘有细锯齿，顶端急尖至短渐尖，先端钝。花单生或成对，腋生或近顶生，直径6-9.3厘米，近无柄。苞片和萼片10-12片或更多，早落，边缘有短缘毛；外层苞片和萼片半圆形，长1-3毫米，无毛；内层苞片和萼片萼片状，卵形至近圆形，长0.8-1厘米，外面被绒毛，里面无毛，边缘具短缘毛。花瓣5-7片，白色，离生，倒卵形，长3-4.5厘米，宽1.5-3厘米，顶端2深裂或微凹。​​雄蕊长1.2-1.5厘米，无毛；外轮花丝基部合生，长2-3毫米。子房被绒毛，3-4室；花柱3-4，长1-1.5厘米，无毛或基部被绒毛，顶端3-4深裂或近基部离生。蒴果球形或扁球形，直径3-6厘米，3-4室，每室有种子1-3粒；果皮干时厚3-5毫米，木质，棕色，粗糙，裂成3-4瓣。种子棕色，半球形，直径2-2.5厘米。花期11月至12月；果期8月至10月。

海南山茶（Camellia hainanica）目前已知分布于其模式产地——中国海南省澄迈县。该种分布于常绿阔叶林边缘或村落沿岸。根据我们的野外调查，在澄迈县的两个镇（锦江镇和红港镇）分别发现了三个种群。