龙氏山茶 Camellia longii Orel & LuuCamellia longii

Camellia longii Orel &Luu Section: Piquetia, Nordic Journal of Botany32(1): 46-50 (2014), Type: Vietnam. Lam Dong Province: Cat Tien National Park,10/09/2009, Vu Ngoc Long CT4 (Holotype, VNM; Paratypes, NSW, VNM). It differs from C. piquetiana and C. dongnaiensis by having pendulous flowers, a campanulate corolla with 5-6 petals versus 8, a fusiform angular ovary, and staminal filaments united at the base of the petals.

Camellia longii exhibits a number of significant morphological characteristics that place it firmly in C. sect. Piquetia. These include large, oblong to elliptic leaves; stout, distally wider pedicels; basally united filaments; 5 or 6 basally fused styles and hairy ovaries. Currently C. sect. Piquetia contains only two other species, namely C.piquetiana (Pierre) Sealy and C. dongnaiensis. Although C. longii possesses some morphological characteristics of these two species, it also differs from them in a number of significant morphological traits. The adult flowers of C. piquetiana (Pierre) Sealy and C. dongnaiensis Orel are distinctly rotate, with petals in a fully reflexed position. The adult flowers of C. longii do not reflex but are pendulous and always bell-like, or nearly so. The two inner petal whorls and the outer petaloids which constitute the adult flower are arranged in a tight configuration which forms a campanulate or near campanulate arrangement of flower parts. This effectively precludes any possibility of a partial or full petaloid or petal reflection. Other morphological differences also exist. C. longii possesses 5 to 6 petals whilst C. piquetiana (Pierre) Sealy and C. dongnaiensis Orel have 8 or more, or 8 petals respectively. The degree and type of filament attachment varies in the three relevant species. The almost diamond shaped ovary of C. longii bears no similarity to the discoid and lobulate ovary of C. piquetiana (Pierre) Sealy and the conical, evenly rounded ovary of C. dongnaiensis Orel. Although the three above described species possess a similar number of styles, the architecture of the styles differs. 

Etymology 

The specific epithet of this species honours the discoverer, Dr Vu Ngoc Long, the Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Development and the Vice-Director of the Institute of Tropical Biology, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.

Phenology 

The new species was collected in flower in September and November. Fruit capsules or seed not seen. 

Distribution

C.longii is known from its type location only, which is situated within the confines of the northern part of the Cat Tien National Park (Cat Loc) in Lam Dong Province of Viet Nam. The new species was found in the vicinity of Hamlet 4, Phuoc Cat Commune. C.longii occurs sporadically in small groups of mature plants, or as solitary specimens throughout the under-story of the ever-green, mixed (broad leaf and bamboo), tropical forest. C.longii thrives in relatively rich, wet, but well drained soils and in low light conditions.

Cat Tien National Park (Cat Loc) in Lam Dong Province of Viet Nam.

龙氏山茶 Camellia longii Orel &Luu 组：匹克茶组 Piquetia。Nordic Journal of Botany 32(1): 46-50 (2014)越南林同省吉仙国家公园,10/09/2009, Vu Ngoc Long CT4 (主模式, VNM; 副模式, NSW, VNM). 它与 C. piquetiana 和 C. dongnaiensis 的区别在于花下垂，花冠钟状，花瓣 5-6 枚而不是 8 枚，子房纺锤形，雄蕊花丝在花瓣基部合生。

C. longii 表现出许多重要的形态特征，无疑应归属于 匹克茶组 (Sect. Piquetia)。这些特征包括：叶片大，长圆形至椭圆形；花梗粗壮，上部较宽；花丝基部合生；花柱基部融合为 5 或 6 个，子房有毛。目前，匹克茶组只包含另外两个种，即 C. piquetiana  和 C. dongnaiensis。虽然 C. longii 具有这两个种的一些形态特征，但在一些重要的形态特征上也与它们不同。C. piquetiana 和 C. dongnaiensis 的花明显辐状，花瓣完全反折。C. longii 的花不反折，但下垂，呈钟状，或接近钟状。构成花的两个内轮花瓣和外轮花瓣紧密排列，形成钟状或近似钟状的花瓣排列。这实际上排除了部分或全部花瓣或花瓣反光的可能性。此外还存在其他形态差异：C. longii 有 5 到 6 个花瓣，而 C. piquetiana和 C. dongnaiensis 分别有 8 个或更多花瓣或 8 个花瓣。三个相关物种的花丝附着程度和类型也各不相同。C. piquetiana和 C. dongnaiensis 的圆锥形均匀圆形子房没有相似之处。虽然上述三个物种的花柱数量相似，但花柱的结构却不同。

词源 该物种的种加词是为了纪念发现者武玉龙（Vu Ngoc Long）博士，他是越南胡志明市生物多样性与发展中心主任兼热带生物学研究所副所长。

物候学 采集到的新物种在 9 月和 11 月开花。未见果蒴果或种子。

分布 C.longii仅在其模式产地被发现，该产地位于越南林同省猫田国家公园（Cat Loc）北部的范围内。新物种是在 Phuoc Cat 公社第 4 乡附近发现的。C.longii零星出现在成熟植株的小群中，或作为单生标本出现在常绿的热带混交林（阔叶林和竹林）的林下。C.longii 在相对肥沃、潮湿但排水良好的土壤和弱光条件下生长茂盛。

越南林同省猫田国家公园