2. Camellia symplocifolia Griff., Itin. Pl. Khasyah Mts. 40, No. 652. (1848)

Lectotype.

(designated here): India. Khasya Hills, W. Griffith s.n. (TCD0018254!; Fig. 2).

Notes.

Griffith (1848) described C. symplocifolia under his catalogue number 652 and stated that the original material was collected at Churra, Khasyah. Though "Icon no. 31" was cited in the protologue and this citation directs to a drawing, fig. 2 of plate DCIV (" C. simplicifolia ") in Icones Plantarum Asiaticarum (Griffith 1854), the single drawing cannot be considered as the holotype because the corresponding specimens that were collected and used by Griffith to prepare the description, although uncited, may still exist (see Art. 9 Ex. 2 of the ICN). Furthermore, fig. 2 of plate DCIV (Griffith 1854) is a poor drawing of leaves and flowers, which can hardly illustrate the key features of the taxon and is, therefore, unsuitable to serve as the lectotype. The specimens of potential original material collected by Griffith in Khasya Hills were found at BM, K and TCD. Unfortunately, none of the specimens bears the name " C. symplocifolia " or the catalogue number. Considering the name was published in Griffith’s posthumous papers, it would be unsurprising that the original material of the name had not been clearly labelled. Based on the protologue and the drawing, one of the specimens, Griffith s.n. (TCD0018254; Fig. 2), with flower materials (e.g. flower buds, androecia and gynoecia) and barcoded, is selected above as the lectotype of C. symplocifolia . Additionally, the specimen (TCD0018254; Fig. 2) can be easily distinguished from C. caudata Wall. that was listed on the same page of Griffith (1848) by its subsessile flower buds and glabrous filaments, whereas the latter bears pedicellate flower buds and hairy filaments.

Camellia symplocifolia is treated as a heterotypic synonym of C. kissi Wall. by Sealy (1958: 197), Chang (1981: 35) and Ming (2000: 303). I agree with this treatment.