Camellia caudata Wall., Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 36. 1832.

Zhao, Dongwei, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Camellia (Theaceae) in Thailand, PhytoKeys 239, pp. 29-57 : 29

1. Camellia caudata Wall., Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 36. 1832.

Camellia assimilis = Camellia assimilis Champ. ex Benth., Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 3: 309. 1851. Lectotype (designated by Chang & Bartholomew [1984: 205]): China. Hong Kong, J.G. Champion 65 (K 000380537!).

Camellia gracilis = Camellia gracilis Hemsl., Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 9(33): 146. 1895. Holotype: China. Taiwan: Bankinsing mountains, A. Henry 1612 (K 000380535!).

Camellia triantha = Camellia triantha Hung T. Chang, Taxon. Gen. Camellia 144. 1981. Holotype: China. Guangxi: Yongning, 20 October 1963, F.S. Huang 17625 (SYS 00094835!).

Camellia tubiformis = Camellia tubiformis Hung T. Chang & S.X. Ren, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 31(1): 75. 1992. Holotype: China. Guangdong: Fengkai, Heishiding, 580 m, 1 January 1991, R.X. Jiang s.n. (SYS 00094839!).

Type material.

Lectotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2017a: 172]): India. [Meghalaya: Khasia Hills], the district of Sylhet, November 1827, H. Bruce s.n. in N. Wallich 978 (right-hand specimen of K 001110475!).

Description.

Trees or shrubs up to 15 m tall. New branchlets and terminal buds pubescent. Petioles 1-5 mm long, pubescent; leaf blades elliptic, oblong or lanceolate, 3.5-11.5 × 1.5-3 cm, thinly coriaceous or papery, abaxially pale green, sparsely appressed pubescent or villous, adaxially yellowish or dark green, shiny, hirsute along midrib, midrib abaxially elevated and adaxially slightly impressed, secondary veins 8-12 on each side of midrib, abaxially slightly elevated and adaxially obscure, base attenuate to obtuse, margin serrulate, apex caudate. Flowers solitary or up to 3 in a cluster, 2-4 cm in diam. Pedicel 2.5-7 mm long. Bracteoles 3-6, alternate, persistent, deltate to semi-orbicular, 1-2.5 × 1-3 mm, abaxially sparsely pubescent to pubescent, adaxially glabrous, margin ciliolate. Sepals 5, persistent, suborbicular, 2-3 × 2-4 mm, abaxially pubescent, adaxially glabrous. Petals 5-7 in 1-2 whorls, white, elliptic to obovate, 11-20 × 8-14 mm, abaxially pubescent, adaxially glabrous, apex rounded to emarginate, inner 4-5 petals basally adnate to filament whorl for 2-4 mm. Stamens numerous, 10-15 mm long; filaments white, outer filaments basally connate for 6-10 mm, distinct part villous. Ovary globose to ovoid, densely pubescent. Style 1, 8-18 mm long, basally densely pubescent and gradually becoming sparsely pubescent apically, apically 3-lobed for 1-3 mm. Capsule globose to ovoid, 11-15 mm in diam., 1-loculed with 1 seed; pericarp 0.4-1 mm thick. Seeds fuscous, globose, 1-1.5 cm in diam., glabrous Fig. 1 .

Phenology.

Flowering October-December, fruiting March-December.

Distribution and habitat.

Camellia caudata occurs in semi-evergreen, evergreen and deciduous montane forests at the elevations of 500-2000 m in China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand (Fig. 2 ), and Vietnam.

Additional specimens examined.

Chiang Rai: Wiang Pa Pao , Doi Luang , Doi Mok Mountain, close to source of Man Mae Nga Stream, 19°15'36"N, 99°20'24"E, 950 m, 23 July 1998, Morci 1365.0 (CMUB) .

Nan: Doi Tiu, 1100 m, 8 March 1921, Kerr 5041 (BK 203924, BM, K, L.2399739); Tha Wang Pha, Pa Kha, Doi Wao, 1400-1700 m, 10 September 1995, Larsen et al. 46319 (BKF SN147973) & 46292 (IBSC 0256482).

Uttaradit: Phu Soi Dao, 1531 m, 17 November 2009, Norsaengsri & Intamusik 6104 (QBG 42621), 1570 m, 18 November 2009, Norsaengsri & Intamusik 6202 (QBG 42737).

Notes.

Wallich (1829) provided a nomen nudum of C. caudata , the name was subsequently validated in Wallich (1832). In the protologue of C. triantha , Chang (1981: 146) stated that the filaments, styles and ovaries of the species were glabrous and indicated the holotype at SYS. The holotype consists of a single leaf and two dissected flower buds upon which Chang’s (1981: 146, 1998: 159) descriptions were generally based. However, two isotypes of C. triantha (GXMI 050183, GXMI 050184) with mature flowers clearly show that the filaments, styles and ovaries of the species are not glabrous but densely pubescent. Therefore, I agree with Ming’s (2000: 201) view and treat C. triantha as a heterotypic synonym of C. caudata .

Camellia caudata is a new record to Thailand. It generally occurs in the montane forests at elevations of 900-1700 m of Northern Thailand. The species is one of several camellias that are widely distributed in Indochina, along with Assam tea, C. furfuracea and C. kissi . Kerr A.F.G. collected specimens of C. caudata in 1921 (Kerr 5041 at BK, BM, K and L). The specimens were, however, misidentified as C. connata by Keng H. in 1970 as shown on the sheet conserved at BM. Camellia caudata can be distinguished from C. connata by its basally connate styles whereas the latter bears distinct styles.

Figures

Figure 1. Camellia caudata A canopy of a tree B branch C flower D petals and androecia E a dissected flower F gynoecium and pedicel. Scale bars: 5 cm (B); 1 cm (C, E); 5 mm (F). The minimum graduation of the ruler in D indicates 1 mm.

Figure 2. Distribution of Camellia taxa in Thailand: C. caudata (Pink square), C. connata (Purple star), C. furfuracea (Pink plus), C. kissi (Blue dot), C. kissi var. confusa (Brown diamond), C. laotica (Red star), C. sinensis var. assamica (Green triangle), C. suddeeana (Red dot) and C. taliensis (Blue plus).