Camellia hekouensis C. J. Wang & G. S. Fan

Zhao, Dongwei, Zhang, Guiliang & Yang, Shixiong, 2025, Phylogenetic position, supplementary description and phytochemical analysis of Camellia hekouensis (Theaceae), a critically endangered tree native to Hekou, Yunnan, China, PhytoKeys 256, pp. 185-195 : 185-195

Camellia hekouensis C. J. Wang & G. S. Fan , Acta Bot. Yunnan. 10 (3): 365. 1988.

Type material.

Holotype: China • Yunnan: Hekou , 450 m, 7 November 1986, C. J. Wang et al. 860235 ( SWFC!, Fig. 3 ; isotype: SWFC!).

Description.

Trees or shrubs up to 7 m tall, evergreen. Trunk brownish grey, new branchlets and terminal buds glabrous. Petioles 5–15 mm long, glabrous; leaf blades elliptic, obovate to oblong, 10–22 × 3–8 cm, thinly coriaceous, abaxially yellowish green, adaxially dark green, shiny, glabrous on both surfaces, midrib and secondary veins abaxially elevated and adaxially impressed, secondary veins 10–17 on each side of midrib, base cuneate to obtuse, margin serrulate, apex acuminate to caudate. Flowers axillary, fragrant, solitary or up to 3 in a cluster, ca. 3 cm in diam. Pedicels 15–25 mm long. Bracteoles 3–4, alternate, persistent, deltate to ovate, 1–1.5 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrous on both surfaces. Sepals 5, deltate to sub-orbicular, 2.5–4 × 2–3 mm, glabrous on both surfaces, margin membranous and ciliolate. Petals 7–9 in 2 whorls, white, ovate, elliptic or obovate, 6–12 × 9–15 mm, glabrous on both surfaces, basally connate for 1–2 mm. Stamens 5–11 mm long; filaments light yellow, glabrous, basally connate for ca. 1 mm and outer filaments basally adnate to petals for 1–2 mm. Ovary ovoid, densely pubescent. Styles 3, distinct, 6–9 mm long, basally sparsely pubescent and gradually becoming glabrous apically. Capsule globose, 3–4 cm in diam., 1 - loculed with 1 seed; pericarp 2–6 mm thick. Seeds fuscous, globose, 2–2.5 cm in diam., glabrous. Fig. 1 .

Phenology.

Flowering December, fruiting August.

Distribution and habitat.

Camellia hekouensis is native to Hekou, Yunnan, China and occurs in the tropical evergreen forests at elevations of 290– 800 m.

Additional specimens examined.

Yunnan: • Hekou, Nanxi , 360–410 m, 21 December 1986, C. J. Wang & L. S. Xie 904 ( KUN 694698 ) ; • Hekou, Nanxi , 22.68 ° N, 103.93 ° E, 297 m, 27 November 2023, D. W. Zhao et al. 562 ( CSFI, equals to S. X. Yang et al. 7352 at KUN) ; • same locality, 26 December 2023, S. X. Yang et al. 7360 ( KUN) .

Figures

Figure 1. Camellia hekouensis A habit of the previously misidentified “ last living tree ” B the tree was found to have died at the end of 2024 C branches and leaves D adaxial surface of a leaf E flowers F a dissected flower 1 bracteoles 2 sepals 3 petals 4 androecium 5 pedicel, receptacle and gynoecium G dry ovary H capsule I a dissected capsule with a single seed. Photos: S. X. Yang (A, B, F, G); D. W. Zhao (C, D); G. L. Zhang (E, H, I). Scale bars: 5 cm (D); 2 cm (E, F, H); 1 mm (G); 1 cm (I).

Figure 3. Holotype of Camellia hekouensis at SWFC. Photo: D. W. Zhao.