Camellia puhoatensis (Sect. Archecamellia - Theaceae), a new species from Vietnam

Abstract

A new species of Theaceae, Camellia puhoatensis N.S. Lý, V.D. Luong, T.H. Le, D.H. Nguyen & N.D. Do, sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Nghe An Province, North Central Coastal Region, Vietnam. It is most similar to C. chrysanthoides, C. flavida and C. petelotii within sect. Archecamellia in shape and colouration of leaf, petal, ovary and glabrous stamen, but differs by its young puberulous shoot, mature leaf sparsely puberulous abaxially and leaf base rounded or broadly obtuse, petiole and pedicel puberulous, tepals 12-13, ovary and style pubescent. The comparison between the new species and C. velutina and C. dormoyana is presented. Data on distribution, ecology, phenology, use and provisional conservation assessment of the new species are given along with an illustration and a colour plate.