芳芝山茶 Camellia phuongchiana Curry, V.H.Quach, T.T.Hoang & Q.C.TruongCamellia phuongchiana

Camellia phuongchiana Curry, V.H.Quach, T.T.Hoang & Q.C.Truong. First published in Brittonia 74: 340 (2022).

The specimen was first discovered by Le Viet Hung, Quach Van Hoi, Hoang Thanh Truong in 2021 in Di Linh district, Lam Dong province. In 2022, the group of authors Quach Van Hoi, Hoang Thanh Truong, Truong Quang Cuong, Le Viet Hung, Luong Van Dung, Vo Quang Trung, Nong Van Duy and Anthony S. Curry published in Brittonia with the scientific name Camellia phuongchiana. The Vietnamese name is Tra Phuong Chi, after the daughter of the author Le Viet Hung, the author is the one who discovered this species and has collected and preserved a number of rare camellia species of Vietnam.

Type:  Vietnam, Lam Dong Province, Di Linh District, Gung Re Commune, mixed evergreen  broadleaf-bamboo forest, elevation 890–950  m, 14 Mar 2021, Quach Van Hoi & Hoang  ThanhTruongVTN1705 (holotype: DLU[!]  (DLU00008051); isotype: VNM [!]).

Diagnosis. —Camellia phuongchiana is distinguished  from other species in C. sect. Piquetia by possession of 10 11 petals with both petal surfaces densely pubescent; young branches sparsely pubescent; leaf blades (20–)24–32(−35) ×  6–8 cm, leaf apices acuminate; petioles 1.8–2 cm long; pedicels 3.5–5.5 cm long; flowers axillary, purple to light red, and  with relatively short stamens (1.2–1.5 cm long).  

Shrubs to small trees, 3–4 m tall; young branches sparsely pubescent and later glabrous.  Leaves alternate; blades oblong, (20–)24 32(−35) × 6–8 cm, coriaceous, apex acuminate,  base broadly acute or obtuse, adaxially dark  green, shiny, and glabrous, abaxially light green,  sparsely pubescent; midrib and lateral veins  impressed above, prominent below, lateral veins  17–23 pairs, the margin shallow serrate; petioles  falcate, slightly curved, 1.8–2 cm long, glabrous.  Flowers solitary or clustered in groups of 2(−3),  axillary, 3.5–3.7 cm in diameter; flower buds  globose, pendulous, 0.9–1.2 cm in diameter, red dish green, pubescent; pedicel (3.5–)4–5(−5.5)  cm long, thickened upwards, 0.15 cm wide proximally up to 0.35 cm wide distally, brownish  green, glabrous; bracteoles 2–3, scale-like, 1.5–2  ×1.2–1.6 mm, brownish green, pubescent on  both surfaces, persistent. Sepals 5, orbicular or  semi-orbicular, 3–5×4–7 mm wide, dark red to  purple, both surfaces densely pubescent, margin  ciliate, persistent. Petals 10–11, purple to light  red, both surfaces pubescent, in 2 whorls, outer  whorl 5, orbicular, 0.8–1.5 × 1–1.3 cm, red to  dark red with narrow white margins; inner whorl  5–6, broadly ovate, 1.8–2 × 1.4–1.5 cm. Stamens  numerous, in 4 whorls; filaments 1.2–1.5 cm  long, yellow, sparsely pubescent at base, outer  filaments united and adnate to innermost petals  for 2–3 mm at base; anthers small, less than 1 mm long, light yellow. Ovary 5-locular, superior, oblate, ribbed, about 3 mm diameter, tomentose;  styles 5, free at the base, 1.4–1.6 cm long, tomentose. Capsules corky, flattened-globose, 5–5.5 cm  in diameter, 2–2.3 cm high, 5-lobed, sparsely  hairy when immature, glabrous at maturity; peri carp thin, 1.5–2 mm thick; columella stout, 1 1.2 cm long. Seeds 1–2 per locule, globose or semi-globose, 1.7–1.8 cm long, 1.9–2cm wide, brown, glabrous.  

Etymology. —The specific epithet honours the  discoverer’s daughter.  Vernacular name.—Vietnamese:  Hồng trà phương chi (Red tea phuong chi).  

Distribution and ecology.—Camellia  phuongchiana is only known from the type local ity at Gung Re Commune, Di Linh District, Lam  Dong Province. It grows scattered along a stream  and among rocks under the canopy of evergreen,  mixed broadleaf-bamboo forest at elevations of  890–950 m.  

Conservation status.—The type-population of  Camellia phuongchiana is estimated to be fewer  than 30 mature individuals distributed in an area  of less than 1 km2. It is predicted that additional individuals may be found by further field surveys  in similar forests in the vicinity of the type locality. However, on-going degradation and de struction of primary, moist, broadleaf forest for the development of coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A.Froehner) plantations at the type locality threatens the species. For these reasons,  C. phuongchiana is provisionally assessed to be  Critically Endangered (CRB2a;D) according to  IUCN categories and criteria (IUCN Standards  and Petitions Committee,2019).

Phenology.—Camellia phuongchiana flowers  from January to April and fruits from June to  December.

VIETNAM: Gung Re Commune, Di Linh District, Lam  Dong Province

芳芝山茶 Camellia phuongchiana Curry, V.H.Quach, T.T.Hoang & Q.C.Truong

该标本由 Le Viet Hung、Quach Van Hoi、Hoang Thanh Truong 于 2021 年在林同省迪林县首次发现。2022 年，作者 Quach Van Hoi、Hoang Thanh Truong、Truong Quang Cuong、Le Viet Hung、Luong Van Dung、Vo Quang Trung、Nong Van Duy 和 Anthony S. Curry 在《Brittonia》杂志上发表了学名为 Camellia phuongchiana 的文章。越南语名称为 Tra Phuong Chi，以作者 Le Viet Hung 的女儿命名，作者是该物种的发现者，并收集和保存了许多越南的珍稀山茶物种。

越南林同省迪林县