德华山茶 Camellia hoaana H. T. Khuong & S. X. YangCamellia hoaana

Camellia hoaana H. T. Khuong & S. X. Yang. Dalat Univ. J. Sci. 14(1): 37-44 (2024).

Type:—VIETNAM. Bu Gia Map National Park, Binh Phuoc Province, primary broad-leaved evergreen forest at an elevation of 467 m a.s.l., October 2019, Khuong Huu Thang, Le Trong Hung, Vuong Duc Hoa DL191001 (holotype and isotypes, DLU, HN).

Diagnosis: Camellia hoaana is most similar to C. nematodea (Gagnep.) Sealy (1958), but differs by its ovary tomentose (vs. glabrous), style 1.5–2.5 mm long (vs.1 mm), and leaves bluntly cuspidate at the apex (vs. bluntly acuminate). It is similar to Camellia nervosa (Gagnep.) H. T. Chang (1981), but differs by young branches pubescent (vs. glabrous) and ovary silky tomentose (vs. glabrous). It is similar to Camellia flosculora Curry, V. S. Le, C. Q. Truong & V. D. Luong (Le et al., 2021), but differs by sepal pubescent on both sides (vs. glabrous on the face) and style glabrous (vs. pubescent).

Shrub or small tree, 3–7 m tall; young branches brownish, pubescent, and glabrescent. Leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic, (7.5–)9–11 cm long, 3.5 5(–6) cm wide, coriaceous; apex bluntly cuspidate, base wide cuneate, margins shallowly serrate; above dark green, shiny, and glabrous; below paler green and sparsely pubescent along midrib; midrib and lateral veins sunken above, protruding below; secondary venation 8–10 pairs, pinnate; petiole falcate, slightly curved, pale green, 7–10 mm long, sparsely pubescent. Flowers solitary or geminate, axillary or terminal, 1.4–1.7 cm in diam.; pedicel 1–1.5 mm long, pubescent. Bracteole 1 (or none), close to the calyx, ovate, pubescent on both sides, margins ciliate, persistent. Sepals 4–5(–6), broadly ovate, semi-orbicular to suborbicular, 1–3 mm long, 1.2–4.5 mm wide, pubescent on both sides, margins ciliate, persistent. Petals 5–6, white, subrotund to oblong-obovate, 5–8 mm long, 4–5.5 mm wide, outermost 1–2 pubescent at the apex on both sides, the rest glabrous on both sides, slightly connate at the base. Androecium numerous, 2–3 whorls, 3–4.5 mm long, yellowish, glabrous, outer filaments united for approximately 1 mm from the base, with petals for the same distance, inner filaments free. Ovary 3-locular, ovate, 2.2–2.5 mm long, 3–3.3 mm wide, white silky tomentose; styles 3, 1.5–2.5 mm long, free to the base, glabrous. Capsule subglobose, sparsely pubescent, furfuraceous, 2.6–3.5 cm wide, splitting into 3 valves, pericarp 3–4.5 mm thick when fresh and 2–2.5 mm when dry. Seeds brown, 1–2 per locule, semi-globose or globose, 0.8–1.5 cm wide, densely villous. 

Phenology: Flowering from October to December and fruiting from May to July. 

Distribution, habitat, and conservation status: Camellia hoaana is known only from the type locality in 14 subdivisions of Bu Gia Map National Park, with approximately 130 mature individuals located under-canopy in evergreen broadleaf and semi-deciduous forest at elevations of 400 to 700 m. Juvenile plants or seedlings are very rare. C. hoaana grows with species Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea odorata, Dalbergia mammosa, Swintonia floribunda, Lagerstroemia sp., Afzelia xylocarpa, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, and Cratoxylum sp. The data are inadequate for risk assessment. Camellia hoaana can be assessed as Data Deficient (DD) according to the IUCN Red List 2019 criteria (IUCN, 2019). 

Etymology: The specific epithet of this species honors Dr. Vuong Duc Hoa, director of Bu Gia Map National Park, who has made many contributions to camellia conservation in the park. 

Vernacular name: Trà hòa. 

Additional specimens examined:—VIETNAM. Binh Phuoc Province, elevation 700 m a.s.l., July 2020, Khuong Huu Thang, Le Trong Hung DL200403 (paratype DLU). 

VIETNAM. Bu Gia Map National Park, Binh Phuoc Province

德华山茶 Camellia hoaana H. T. Khuong & S. X. Yang. Dalat Univ. J. Sci. 14(1): 37-44 (2024).

与 C. nematodea (Gagnep.) Sealy (1958) 最相似，但子房被绒毛（vs. 无毛），花柱长 1.5-2.5 毫米（vs. 1 毫米），叶片先端钝骤尖（vs. 钝渐尖）。与Camellia nervosa (Gagnep.)H. T. Chang (1981) 相似，但幼枝被短柔毛（vs. 无毛），子房被绢状绒毛（vs. 无毛）。与 Camellia flosculora Curry, V. S. Le, C. Q. Truong & V. D. Luong 相似但不同之处在于萼片两面都有短柔毛（与表面无毛相对），花柱无毛（与短柔毛相对）。

灌木或小乔木，高3-7米；幼枝带褐色，被短柔毛，后脱落。叶椭圆形至倒卵状椭圆形，长（7.5-）9-11厘米，宽3. 5 5（-6）厘米宽，革质；先端钝骤尖，基部宽楔形，边缘有浅锯齿；上面深绿色，有光泽，无毛；下面浅绿色，沿中脉有稀疏短柔毛；中脉和侧脉上面凹陷，下面突出；次脉8-10对，羽状；叶柄镰刀形，稍弯曲，浅绿色，长7-10毫米，有稀疏短柔毛。花单生或宝石色，腋生或顶生，直径 1.4-1.7 厘米；花梗长 1-1.5 毫米，被短柔毛。小苞片 1（或无），靠近花萼，卵形，两面被短柔毛，边缘具缘毛，宿存。萼片 4-5（-6），宽卵形，半圆形至近圆形，长 1-3 毫米，宽 1.2-4.5 毫米，两面被短柔毛，边缘具缘毛，宿存。花瓣5-6枚，白色，近圆形至长圆状倒卵形，长5-8毫米，宽4-5.5毫米，最外面的1-2枚先端两面被短柔毛，其余两面无毛，基部稍合生。雄蕊群多数，2-3轮，长3-4.5毫米，淡黄色，无毛，外花丝从基部合生约1毫米，与花瓣距离相同，内花丝离生。子房3室，卵形，长2.2-2.5毫米，宽3-3.3毫米，被白色绢状绒毛；花柱3，长1.5-2.5毫米，离生至基部，无毛。 蒴果近球形，疏生短柔毛，软鳞片状，宽 2.6-3.5 厘米，裂成 3 裂爿，果皮新鲜时厚 3-4.5 毫米，干燥时厚 2-2.5 毫米。种子棕色，每室 1-2 粒，半球形或球形，宽 0.8-1.5 厘米，密被长柔毛。

物候： 花期 10 月至 12 月，果期 5 月至 7 月。

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