Camellia taliensis (W.W. Sm.) Melch. in Engler, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 2(21): 131. 1925.

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

8. Camellia taliensis (W.W. Sm.) Melch. in Engler, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 2(21): 131. 1925.

Thea taliensis ≡ Thea taliensis W.W. Sm., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 10: 73. 1917. Lectotype (first-step designated by Ming [2000: 119]; second-step designated by Zhao et al. [2017a: 177]): China. Yunnan: Ghi Shan east of Tali Lake, 25°48'N, 2740 m, August 1914, G. Forrest 13477 (E 00284542! Image: https://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00284542).

Polyspora yunnanensis = Polyspora yunnanensis Hu, Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. Bot. 8: 135. 1938. Lectotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2019: 299]): China. Yunnan: Lu-hsi Hsien, 1750 m, 6 February 1934, H.T. Tsai 56805 (PE 00024542! Image: https://www.cvh.ac.cn/spms/detail.php?id=0756fff6).

Camellia irrawadiensis = Camellia irrawadiensis Barua, Camellian 7(4): 18. 1956. Holotype: Myanmar. Raised from seed collected by L.O. Wilson, 1917, presumably in the region 26°-27°N, 98°-99°E (valley of Irrawadi in North Burma), January 1956, Ex. Herb. I.T.A. 3253 (consisting of 2 sheets: K 000704313! & K 000704314!).

Camellia pentastyla = Camellia pentastyla Hung T. Chang, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 20(1): 92. 1981. Lectotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2018: 93]): China. Yunnan: Fengqing, cultivated, 2050 m, 12 February 1963, L.F. Xia & Z.H. Yang 28 (KUN 1206061!).

Camellia quinquebracteata = Camellia quinquebracteata Hung T. Chang & C.X. Ye, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 26(1): 20. 1987. Holotype: China. Yunnan: Lianghe, Dachang, 4 January 1983, P. Zeng & Q.J. Xie 17055 (SYS, isotype: KUN 1206063!).

Description.

Trees or shrubs up to 15 m tall. New branchlets glabrous, terminal buds glabrous or sparsely puberulous. Petioles 4-8 mm long, glabrous; leaf blades elliptic to oblong, 7.5-15.5 × 3-6.5 cm, coriaceous, abaxially yellowish green and adaxially dark or yellowish green, shiny and glabrous on both surfaces, midrib abaxially elevated and adaxially slightly raised, secondary veins 8-14 on each side of midrib, slightly elevated on both surfaces, base attenuate to obtuse, margin sparsely serrulate to nearly entire, apex attenuate or acute. Flowers solitary or up to 3 in a cluster, 3-5 cm in diam. Pedicels 8-15 mm long. Bracteoles 2-4, alternate, 2-ranked, caducous. Sepals 5, persistent, sub-orbicular or broadly ovate, 4-6.5 × 5.5-9 mm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially sericeous, margin ciliolate. Petals 7-11 in 2-3 whorls, white, elliptic to obovate, 16-30 × 10-21 mm, glabrous on both surfaces or inside sericeous at apex, inner petals basally adnate to filaments for 2-4 mm. Stamens numerous, 1-2.5 cm long; filaments pale yellow, glabrous. Ovary oblate, pubescent. Style 1, 11-20 mm long, basally sparsely pubescent and gradually becoming glabrous apically, apically (3-)5-lobed for 2-5 mm. Capsule oblate, 2.5-5 cm in diam., 2-3 cm in height,1-5-loculed with 1-5 seeds; pericarp 1.5-4 mm thick. Seeds brown, hemispherical or polyhedral, 1.5-2 cm in diam., glabrous Fig. 10 .

Phenology.

Flowering October-February, fruiting April-November.

Distribution and habitat.

Camellia taliensis occurs in the montane evergreen forest at the elevations of 1100-2750 m in China, Myanmar and Thailand (Fig. 2 ).

Additional specimens examined.

Chiang Mai: Chiang Dao, Doi Chiang Dao, Den Ya Khat, 1500 m, 4 August 2007, Watthana 2420 (QBG 30728); Chom Thong, Doi Inthanon, 1900 m, 1 May 1921, Kerr 5298 (BK 203709, BM, K), 18°40'N, 98°25'E, 1700 m, 11 December 1969, Beusekom & Phengklai 2462 (BKF SN061415, P 06838120), 1900-2025 m, 14 January 1994, Fukuoka T-62168 (BKF SN102755); Fang , 1250 m, 24 February 1958, Smitinand 4331 (BKF SN060803) & 4331A ((BKF SN060831; Fig. 10A, B ); Doi Ang Khang , 1700 m, 27 May 1998, Wongprasert s.n. (BKF SN121562); Doi Pha Hom Pok , 1400 m, 12 February 1958, Sørensen 1607 (BKF SN060805, C, K), 1920 m, 1 February 2007, Srisanga et al. 2919 (CMUB 29155, HITBC 143571, QBG 31244); Mae Ai , Bumuhn (Lahu) Village area , 1150 m, 21 October 1994, Maxwell 94-1102 (BKF SN060837, CMUB 05366); Mae on, Ban Mae Kam Pong , 1300 m, 26 October 2007, Pongamornkul 2121 (QBG 34196); Mae Taeng , 1600-1950 m, 5 December 1977, Santisuk 1480 (C, K); Doi Chang , 1700-1900 m, 23 October 1979, Shimizu et al. T-20524 (BKF SN060811, QBG 50044); Doi Kiew Lom , Huai Nam Dang , 1700 m, 18 January 2002, Chayamarit et al. 3107 (BKF SN162068); Nanthaburi , Mae Tuen, 12 March 1991, Smitinand s.n. (BKF SN119850) .

Kampaeng Phet: Klong Lam, Mae Wong, 1320 m, 30 October 2002, Bult 609 (CMUB 20961).

Mae Hong Son: Khun Yuam , 20 November 1998, Chusie KY 308 (QBG 47303); Mae La Noi , Ban Dong , 1300 m, 15 December 2002, Pongamornkul 1871 (QBG 35067), 2 May 2011, Pongamornkul 2899 (QBG 64350); Mueang Mae Hong Son , along the trail to the peak of Doi Pui , 1100-1750 m, 16 December 2007, Tanaka et al. HN8479 (QBG 35641); Doi Khun Huai Pong, 18°58'N, 98°10'E, 1850 m, 3 March 1968, Hansen & Smitinand 12770 (BKF SN060846, C, E 00681068, K, P 04511721); Pai, en route to Doi Chang, 1800 m, 31 May 1972, Santisuk 149 (BKF SN060809); Doi Mae Ya, 1800 m, 3 November 1999, Suksathan 2030 (QBG 16229) .

Nan: Pua, Doi Phu Kha, 19°17'N, 101°7'E, 1680 m, 10 April 1999, Srisanga & Watthana 685 (QBG 14019), 19°10'N, 101°7'E, 1700 m, 26 May 2000, Srisanga 1429 (QBG 17650), 1600 m, 22 August 2001, Srisanga & Maknoi 2027 (QBG 21153).

Phayao: Muang, Doi Luang, 19°5'N, 99°27'E, 1500 m, 22 April 1998, Sidisunthorn & Gardner 2568.0 (CMUB 13844); Phu Sang, Doi Pha Mon Noi, 19°44'8"N, 100°24'21"E, 1482 m, 30 April 2013, Laongsri et al. 2849 (QBG 66589); Pong, Phu Lanka, 1500 m, 4 September 2006, Watthana & Pumicong 2141 (QBG 28151).

Tak: Umpang, Umpang, near top of Khao Kheeo, 2150 m, 25 April 2001, Bult 419 (CMUB 18159).

Notes.

Besides Assam tea, C. taliensis is another tea source plant that occurs in Thailand. Ming (1992) recognized C. irrawadiensis as a heterotypic synonym of C. taliensis . Chang et al. (1996) disagreed with Ming (1992) and suggested that C. irrawadiensis could be distinguished from C. taliensis by its abaxially punctate (vs. glabrous) and caffeine-free (vs. present) leaves, shorter pedicel (7-8 mm vs. 12-14 mm), larger sepals (5-7 mm vs. 2-4 mm) and smaller flowers (4 cm vs. 5-6 cm in diam.). Ming (2000) trivialized the differences and retained C. irrawadiensis in the synonymy of C. taliensis . The morphological differences between them listed in Chang et al. (1996) are, however, either inaccurate (e.g., the leaves of C. irrawadiensis are not abaxially punctate) or so trivial and overlapped (e.g., the size of pedicel, sepals and flowers) so that should be treated as an infraspecific variation. The claim of caffeine-free for C. irrawadiensis in Chang et al. (1996) was referred to Sealy’s (1958: 127) report. Sealy (1958) wrote that “… Dr. E.A.H. Roberts and Dr. D.J. Wood (both of the Indian Tea Association) tell me that chemically it [ C. irrawadiensis ] is clearly distinct from both, notably in that it does not contain caffeine." Nevertheless, Nagata and Sakai (1985) analysed two samples of C. irrawadiensis and found that they contained 0.02% and less than 0.01% caffeine, whereas the content of caffeine in C. taliensis was 2.28%. However, the variation of chemical contents may be common in the plants of C. sect. Thea (L.) Griff. For instance, Ye et al. (1997) investigated 22 samples of C. ptilophylla Hung T. Chang and suggested that all individuals contained 0.57%-6.84% theobromine; and 18 of the samples were caffeine-free, while the remaining contained 3.02%-4.94% caffeine. Therefore, the single difference of the content of caffeine may be insufficient to warrant separation of C. irrawadiensis from C. taliensis at specific rank, and Ming’s (2000) treatment of them is followed here.

Keng (1972: 146) listed a single collection, Smitinand 4331A at BKF (Fig. 10A, B ), under C. pleurocarpa in "Flora of Thailand". However, the collection actually represents C. taliensis . Camellia pleurocarpa is native to Vietnam and bears an abaxially punctate leaf, 5-8 persistent bracteoles, abaxially sericeous perianth and glabrous ovary, whereas C. taliensis has a glabrous leaf, 2-4 caducous bracteoles, abaxially glabrous perianth and pubescent ovary.

Figures

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).

Figure 10. Camellia taliensis A, B dry specimens of Smitinand 4331 A at BKF C branchlet with flower D a dissected flower E branchlet with immature fruit. Scale bars: 3 cm (C); 2 cm (D, E). The minimum graduation of the rulers in A, B represents 1 mm.