Camellia vanlangensis (Theaceae, Sect. Archecamellia), a new yellowflowered species from Vietnam

Camellia vanlangensis (Theaceae, Sect. Archecamellia), a new yellowflowered species from Vietnam

A new plant species, Camellia vanlangensis, belonging to the Archecamellia section is described from Thanh Hoa Province, northern Vietnam. It grows up to 8 m tall and has big golden yellow flowers up to 8 cm wide. The flower is a solitary, subterminal, cup-shaped, with glabrous pedicel, 5–6 persistent bracteoles, 9–10 persistent orange-green sepals, and 10–11 petals. It has 130–150 stamens in 5 whorls, glabrous 3–5-loculed ovary, 3–5 distinct styles, 5-rigged and apex sunken of capsule. A detailed comparison between new species and two close related species, C. impressinervis and C. calcicola, is provided. Preliminary IUCN conservation status of this species is assigned as Critically Endangered (CR).