金燕山茶 Camellia leyenae Vuong, Bao, V.C. Nguyen & V.D. LuongCamellia leyenae

Camellia leyenae Vuong, Bao, V.C. Nguyen & V.D. Luong in Phytotaxa 765 (1): 51–64 (2026）. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.765.1.4

Type: VIETNAM, Khanh Hoa province, Dien Khanh district, 01 January 2023, Phan Le Y & Le Dai Duong, DL230101 (Holotype, DLU00008056!)

Paratype: VIETNAM, Khanh Hoa province, Dien Khanh district, 19 February 2025, Nguyen Van Canh & Phan Vo Hien, DL250219 (Paratype, DLU00008057!). ibid., Truong B.V., Nguyen V.C. & Phan V.H., BV 1933 (paratype, VNM 00074070!, VNM 00074069!)

Diagnosis: In section Piquetia, the new species is the most similar to C. honbaensis, but it differs from C. honbaensis by smaller leaves 15‒22 x 4‒7 cm (vs. 26‒43 x 4.5‒10.6 cm), by having a pedicel 4‒4.5 cm long, purplish red (vs. 2.5‒2.9 cm, light green), by completely glabrous filaments (vs. adaxial filaments hairy on basal 2/5 part), and by style completely free from the base (vs. connate at basal 1/5‒1/3 part).

Description: Small tree 3–4 m tall, young branches glabrous, light brown. Leaves elliptic or elliptic-oblong, slightly serrate, thickly coriaceous, 15–22 cm long, 4–7 cm wide; adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely minutely hairy; apex acute to acuminate, obtusely pointed, base subrounded to obtuse; lamina deep green above, duller green below, coriaceous; midrib slightly raised, venation pinnate, secondary veins brochidodromous with 8–10 pairs of veins, slightly sunken adaxially, abaxially more conspicuous, tertiary veins oblique; petioles 0.5–1.8 cm long, curved, glabrous. Flowers pedicellate, axillary or subterminal, 1–3 in groups, nodding, 4–5 cm diam.; pedicel 4 4.5 cm long, purplish red, glabrous; bracteoles 2–3, deltate, 1.5–2.5 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent, persistent. Sepals persistent, 4–5, suborbicular to crescent-shaped, 3–7.5 mm long, 5–11 mm wide, green to purplish red-brown, abaxial surface pubescent. Petals 9–10, red, suborbicular to broad obovate, 1.8–4.2 cm long, 2–3.4 cm wide, abaxial surface pubescent. Stamens numerous, in 4 whorls, filaments 2.3–3.3 cm long, glabrous, pale whitish-yellow, lower half connate to form a short tube, anthers yellow, basifixed. Ovary ovate, 3–(4) locular, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 2.5–3.2 mm wide, tomentose; styles 3–(4), free, 3–3.5 cm long, tomentose in the basal 2/3. Fruit depressed globose, 2.1–2.4 cm tall and 4–5 cm wide, sparsely hairy, capsule 3–(4) locular, pericarp 1–1.5 mm thick. Seeds 1 to 2 per locule, hemispherical or wedge-shaped, 1.6–2.1 cm long, 1.4–1.6 cm wide, glabrous.

Etymology: This species is named in honor of Ms. Le Kim Yen, the first person to discover it.

Vernacular name: Trà Lê Yến

Phenology: Flowering from January to March, fruiting in May to July

Distribution and habitat: So far, the species has only been found at the type locality in Dien Khanh District, Khanh Hoa Province. It was recorded in a secondary evergreen forest at around 600 m above sea level.

Conservation assessment: Camellia leyenae is a narrowly endemic species currently known only from its type locality in Dien Khanh District, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. The species inhabits an approximately 10-hectare area of secondary evergreen forest, which has experienced degradation due to agricultural expansion. The population comprises approximately 100 mature individuals, with additional seedlings and immature trees observed. Individuals have also been recorded at the forest edge and in adjacent agricultural areas, indicating some adaptability to disturbed habitats. However, additional field surveys are still required to determine the full distribution range, population size, and potential threats to the species. Further investigations in surrounding areas may reveal additional populations. Therefore, according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (Version 16, 2024), the species is here preliminarily assessed as Data Deficient (DD).

VIETNAM, Khanh Hoa province, Dien Khanh district

金燕山茶Camellia leyenae Vuong, Bao, V.C. Nguyen & V.D. Luong in Phytotaxa 765 (1): 51–64 (2026）

模式标本：越南庆和省延庆县，2023年1月1日，Phan Le Y 与 Le Dai Duong 采集，标本号 DL230101（主模式，存于大叻大学标本馆 DLU00008056！）

副模式标本：越南庆和省延庆县，2025年2月19日，Nguyen Van Canh 与 Phan Vo Hien 采集，标本号 DL250219（副模式，存于大叻大学标本馆 DLU00008057！）；同地，Truong B.V., Nguyen V.C. & Phan V.H. 采集，标本号 BV 1933（副模式，存于越南自然博物馆 VNM 00074070！，VNM 00074069！）

诊断（与近缘种区别）： 在匹克茶组（section *Piquetia*）中，新种与 C. honbaensis 最为相似，但区别在于：叶片较小，15‒22 × 4‒7厘米（vs. 26‒43 × 4.5‒10.6厘米）；花梗长4‒4.5厘米，紫红色（vs. 2.5‒2.9厘米，淡绿色）；花丝完全无毛（vs. 内侧花丝基部2/5处被毛）；花柱自基部完全分离（vs. 基部1/5‒1/3合生）。

形态描述： 小乔木，高3–4米；幼枝无毛，淡褐色。叶椭圆形或椭圆状长圆形，具细锯齿，厚革质，长15–22厘米，宽4–7厘米；上面无毛，下面无毛或疏被微小柔毛；先端急尖至渐尖，钝头，基部近圆形至钝形；叶片上面深绿色，下面暗绿色，革质；中脉微隆起，羽状脉，侧脉8–10对，环结脉序，上面微凹陷，下面较明显，三级脉斜伸；叶柄长0.5–1.8厘米，弯曲，无毛。花具梗，腋生或近顶生，1–3朵簇生，下垂，直径4–5厘米；花梗长4–4.5厘米，紫红色，无毛；小苞片2–3枚，三角形，长1.5–2.5毫米，宽2–3毫米，背面疏被短柔毛，宿存。萼片宿存，4–5枚，近圆形至新月形，长3–7.5毫米，宽5–11毫米，绿色至紫红褐色，背面被短柔毛。花瓣9–10枚，红色，近圆形至宽倒卵形，长1.8–4.2厘米，宽2–3.4厘米，背面被短柔毛。雄蕊多数，排列成4轮，花丝长2.3–3.3厘米，无毛，淡白色带淡黄，下半部合生成短管，花药黄色，基部着生。子房卵形，3–(4)室，长2.5–3.5毫米，宽2.5–3.2毫米，被绒毛；花柱3–(4)枚，分离，长3–3.5厘米，基部2/3被绒毛。果扁球形，高2.1–2.4厘米，宽4–5厘米，疏被毛，蒴果3–(4)室，果皮厚1–1.5毫米。种子每室1至2粒，半球形或楔形，长1.6–2.1厘米，宽1.4–1.6厘米，无毛。

词源：种加词“leyenae”以该物种的首次发现者黎金燕（Le Kim Yen）女士的名字命名。

越南名： Trà Lê Yến

物候期： 花期1月至3月，果期5月至7月。

分布与生境： 目前该物种仅在庆和省延庆县模式产地发现。生长于海拔约600米的次生常绿阔叶林中。

保护评估： 金燕山茶Camellia leyenae是一个狭域特有物种，目前仅在越南庆和省延庆县的模式产地已知。该物种栖息于约10公顷的次生常绿阔叶林中，该区域因农业扩张而有所退化。种群约有100株成熟个体，并观察到幼苗和未成熟植株。在森林边缘和邻近农业区域也有个体记录，表明其对受干扰生境具有一定适应性。然而，仍需进一步实地调查以确定其完整分布范围、种群规模及潜在威胁。对周边区域的进一步调查可能会发现更多种群。因此，根据IUCN红色名录分类标准与准则（2024年第16版），该物种目前被初步评估为数据缺乏（DD）。

越南庆和省延庆县