Neocinnamomum huongsonensis Kim Dao, 2023

De Kok, Rogier P. J., 2023, The Lauraceae Juss. of Indo-China: fifteen new species, four new combinations and two neotypifications, Adansonia (3) 45 (1), pp. 1-25 : 20

14. Neocinnamomum huongsonensis Kim Dao , sp. nov. ( Fig. 12 )

Flora of Vietnam 20: 299 (Nguyén Kim Dao 2017), nom. inval., holotype not correctly cited.

DIAGNOSIS. — This species differs from its close relative Neocinnamomum lecomtei H.Liou by having glabrous leaves and twigs (vs densely hairy in N. lecomtei ) and fruits that are black when mature (rather than red or orange when mature in N. lecomtei ).

TYPE SPECIMEN. — [ Vietnam] Ha Tinh, Huong Son, Rao An, Mack et al. 455 (holo-, HN not seen; iso-, P not seen) .

DISTRIBUTION. — Vietnam: Ha Tinh (see Fig. 12 ).

ECOLOGY. — Growing in evergreen dry forests. Flowering and fruiting reported from July to September (Nguyén Kim Dao 2017: 301).

CONSERVATION. — Critically Endangered (CR B1ab(i,iii), B2ab(ii,iii)). This species is only known from one collection from Ha Tinh. An analysis of the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) and Area of Occupancy (AOO) gives an IUCN Conservation Assessment of Critically Endangered.

DESCRIPTION

Tree 5-7 m tall. Twigs slender, terete, glabrous, light brown. Leaves subopposite; blade oblong-lanceolate, 5-13 × 2-4.5 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base obtuse, glabrous on both surfaces, triplinerved, secondary nerves 2-3 pairs, basal secondary nerves extending up to ¾ the length of the blade, midrib sunken above and raised below; petiole slender, 1-1.5 cm long, glabrous.

Inflorescences axillary, 1-10 mm long, sparsely hairy; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles caducous. Flowers greenish; perianth lobes broadly ovate, 1.5-2 × 1-1.2 mm, apex acute, sparsely hairy outside; stamens 9, c. 1 mm long, hairy at base, anthers 4-celled; ovary ovoid, 0.5-0.7 mm long, glabrous; style 0.3- 0.5 mm long, stigma conspicuously lobed.

Fruit globose, c. 2 × 2.5 cm, glabrous, inconspicuously angulate in cross-section, black when mature; perianth lobes persistent, small; stalk slender.

NOTES

Unfortunately, Nguyén Kim Dao (2017) did not validly publish this name because she cited its type material as deposited in two different herbaria without mentioning which specimen is the holotype (see article 40.7 in Turland et al. 2018), the species is validated here. The description here is based on Nguyén Kim Dao (2017: 299, fig. 152).

Figures

FIG. 12. — Distribution of Litsea rubrobrunnea de Kok, sp. nov. (), Litsea salmonea A.Chev. ex de Kok, sp. nov. (), Machilus coriacea A.Chev. ex de Kok, sp. nov. (), Neocinnamomum huongsonensis Kim Dao, sp. nov. () and Phoebe petelotii Kosterm. ex de Kok, sp. nov. ().