Camellia debaoensis R.C.Hu & Y.Q.Liufu, 2019
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.135.38756 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1B2A2CD9-6EC8-5FE0-B38D-A5503A72D38F |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Camellia debaoensis R.C.Hu & Y.Q.Liufu |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Camellia debaoensis R.C.Hu & Y.Q.Liufu sp. nov. Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2
Diagnosis.
Morphologically, the new species is similar to Camellia pubipetala Y. Wan & S.Z. Huang, C. mingii S.X. Yang and C. tuyenquangensis D.V. Luong, N.N.H. Le & N. Tran, but it differs from these species in having glabrous young branches, glabrous petiole, glabrous sepals, glabrous petals, glabrous stamens and glabrous ovary, 10 petals, cylindrical ovary and 3-lobed to 1/6 style length.
Type.
China. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Debao County, Jingde Town, Tuoliang village, at the entrance of one of karst caves, rare, 23°29'23.12"N, 106°9'47.27"E, 760 m a.s.l., 13 January 2017 (fl.), R.C. Hu HRC170113002 (holotype: GXMI!, isotypes: GXMI!, KUN!, NHMG! and IBK!).
Description.
Shrubs, 1-3 m tall. Young branches cylindrical, thick, glabrous, yellowish brown or grayish brown, and current year branchlets purplish red. Leaf blade leathery, ovate to long ovate, 6-13 × 3-5 cm, adaxial surface dark green and glabrous, abaxial surface pale green, brown glandular punctuate and veins sparsely spreading villous, veins abaxially elevated and adaxially impressed, secondary veins 5-6 on each side of midvein and connected at the proximal edge, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, apex caudate tip, margin serrulate; petiole 5-12 mm long, glabrous. Flowers subterminal axillary, solitary, 3-4.5 cm diam. Pedicel ca. 4(-6) mm long, thick; bracteoles 4 (or 5), unequal, 1-3 × 2-4 mm, appressed and covering pedicel, oval-triangle, leathery, green and glabrous, margin ciliolate. Sepals 5 (-6), semiorbicular to broadly ovate, 3-5 × 5-8 mm, leathery, glabrous, lightly yellow and occasionally with pink patches, fruiting stage green, margin ciliolate. Petals 10, in three whorls of 3-4 petals, golden yellow, glabrous; outer 3 or 4 petals suborbicular, occasionally with pink patches, 0.7-1.1 × 1 cm; inner orbicular-ovate or oval, 1.2-1.8 × 1.2-2.6 cm, basally connate for 1-3 mm. Stamens numerous, glabrous, ca. 2 cm long; anthers ca. 3 × 1mm; outer filaments connate ca. basal 1/4, ca. 1.6 cm, inner filaments nearly distinct, ca. 1.7 cm. Ovary cylindrical, ca. 2 mm in diam., glabrous, 3-loculed; style 2 cm long, glabrous, base connate, apex 3-lobed to 1/6 style length. Capsule triangle oblate, glabrous, 1.4-1.6 × 1.6-2.8 cm; Seeds brown, hemispherical, pubescent.
Phenology.
Flowering from December to February of the next year; fruiting from July to August.
Distribution and habitat.
Camellia debaoensis grows at the entrance of one of the limestone caves in the karst region of Debao County ( Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ), Guangxi, China, accompanied by Ageratina adenophora (Sprengel) R. M. King & H. Robinson ( Compositae ), Boehmeria penduliflora Wedd. ex Long ( Urticaceae ), Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Harald ( Polygonaceae ), Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt ( Euphorbiaceae ), Pteris vittata L. ( Pteridaceae ), Ficus tikoua Bur ( Moraceae ), and Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen et S. M. Almeida ex Sanjappa et Predeep ( Fabaceae ).
Conservation status.
According to currently available data, Camellia debaoensis is only found in its type locality and there are only nine adult trees and four saplings, with the distribution restricted to a very limited region (less than 200 m2). Considering this situation, we consider Camellia debaoensis as 'Critically Endangered’ (CR) based on the IUCN categories and criteria ( IUCN 2017).
Additional specimens examined.
China. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Debao County, Jingde Town, Tuoliang village, at the entrance of karst cave, rare, ca. 760 m a.s.l., 13 Jan. 2017 (fl.), R.C. Hu HRC170113001 (GXMI!); the same locality, 21 May 2016 (fr.), R.C. Hu HRC170521001 (GXMI!); the same locality, 25 Dec. 2015 (fl.), R.C. Hu & Y.Q. Liufu HRC151225023 (GXMI!).
Etymology.
The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Debao County, Guangxi.
Taxonomic notes.
It is noted that there are several classification systems about taxonomic treatments of Camellia , represented by Ye and Xu (1992), Chang and Ren (1998), and Min and Bruce (2007). These systems have different taxonomic opinions on sectional taxonomic treatment of yellow camellias. Considering the inclusiveness of the system of Min and Bruce (2007), the new species should be placed in C. sect. Stereocarpus .
Camellia debaoensis resembles many other yellow-flowering camellia species with connate style, such as Camellia pubipetala Y. Wan & S.Z. Huang, C. mingii S.X. Yang, C. tuyenquangensis D.V. Luong, N.N.H. Le & N. Tran, C. oconariana Orel, Curry & Luu, C. thuongiana Luong, Anna Le & Lau, C. luteocerata Orel, C. luteopallida Luong, T.Q.T. Nguyen & Luu, C. bugiamapensis Orel, Curry, Luu & Q.D. Nguyen and C. capitata Orel, Curry & Luu. These species are placed in various sections within the genus including sections Stereocarpus Chang, Chrysantha Chang, Dalatia Orel and Capitatae Orel (Table 1 View Table 1 ). A key to identifying species of yellow camellia with connate style is provided below. Of these species, the new species is more similar to C. pubipetala , C. mingii , C. tuyenquangensis than to other species by sharing small leaflets, subterminal axillary flowers, 9-13 petals, differentiated bracts, outer filament whorl basally connate, 3-locular ovary, connate style. However, it is well distinguished from these species in having glabrous young branches, glabrous petiole, glabrous sepals, glabrous petals, glabrous stamens and a glabrous ovary (vs. villous in C. pubipetala and C. mingii ), 10 petals (vs. 9-13 in C. pubipetala , 12-13 in C. mingii and 12 in C. tuyenquangensis ), cylindrical ovary (vs. ovoid in C. mingii and C. tuyenquangensis , spherical in C. pubipetal ) and style 3-lobed to 1/6 style length (vs. 3 (or 4)-cleft to 1/3 style length in C. pubipetala , 3-cleft to 1/10 style length in C. mingii , 3-cleft to 1/2 style length in C. tuyenquangensis ). The comparisons between C. debaoensis and these species are provided in Table 2 View Table 2 . Based on hairs, lamina length, flower size, number of carpels and other characteristics, the new species is also a taxonomic entity distinct from C. oconariana , C. thuongiana , C. luteocerata , C. luteopallida , C. bugiamapensis and C. capitata (Table 1 View Table 1 ).
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