Discovered 4 new species of Xylocarpaceae belonging to the coffee family in Indochina

Four new species of Scented wood were described based on the specimens collected in Cambodia during the 2014 survey of botanists of the Institute of Tropical Biology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Center for Ecological Conservation. Asia is part of Kyushu University in Japan.

Scientists at the Institute of Tropical Biology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and scientists from Japan, Cambodia and China have discovered and described 4 new species of Fragrant species belonging to the coffee family (Rubiaceae). in Indochina. These four new species of Incense are named Lasianthus stephanocalycinus, L. oblanceolatus, L. giganteus and L. bokorensis.

In particular, Lasianthus stephanocalycinus species are distributed in Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa of Vietnam.

Lasianthus stephanocalycinus - Sputtering incense

Characteristics : Shrub, about 1.5 m high, leaves growing, elliptical shape, size 8-9,5 x 3-3,5 cm, wedge-shaped base, pointed tip with tail. Inflorescence, sessile, bearing 1-7 flowers; flowers more; radio shaped bell, 0.2 cm long, hairy. Spherical fruit, hairy; There are 5 seeds.

Characteristic identification of sputtering Scent species (Lasianthus stephanocalycinus).(Photo: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Lasianthus oblanceolatus - Incense

Characteristics: Shrub, about 1 m tall, the leaves are opposite, lance-like, to eleven, size 11-12,5 x 3,5-4 cm, wedge-shaped, with pointed tips. Inflorescences of stalks, sessile or short stalks, without bracts; flowers more; tubular, thick dense. Nuts, green, 4-5 mm in diameter; There are 4 or 5 seeds.

Characteristics of species identification (Lasianthus oblanceolatus).(Photo: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Lasianthus giganteus - Scent gigan

Characteristics: Shrub, about 2 m high; young branches with hairs, opposite leaves, elliptical to lanceolate, size 21-31 x 9-11 cm, unequal root, pointed tip. Clusters of flowers grow in the leaf axils, without stalks; oblong leaves to oblong, 15-18 x 5-7 mm, with 4 mm long tip. The fruit is green, 12 mm long; There are 5 or 6 seeds.

Characteristics of gigan species identification (Lasianthus giganteus).(Photo: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Lasianthus bokorensis - Roasted bokor

Characteristics: Shrub, 1–1.5 m tall; Round branches have hairs, opposite leaves, narrow elliptical forms, size 9–13 x 2.5–4.5 cm, wedge-shaped, narrow pointed heads with tails. Inflorescences grow in bunches in leaf axils, bearing 1–3 flowers, with feathers; sessile flowers or short stalks; tubular, pink; white colon. Capsule, yellow; There are 5 or 6 seeds.

Characteristics of species identification of the forest species bonkor (Lasianthus bokorensis).(Photo: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Previously, in August 2015, botanists from the Institute of Tropical Biology of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Asian Center for Ecological Conservation of Kyushu University, Japan also discovered a species. Fragrant incense of the new coffee family at Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa province.

This species is named as Yahara Smoked (Lasianthus yaharae VS Dang, Tagane & H. Tran). The species name is named after Prof. Dr. Tetsukazu Yahara who is currently working at Kyushu University in Japan, who has made a lot of contributions to the research program of the Citrus (Lasianthus) in Vietnam in particular and Indochina in general. .

Yahara Scented Species (Lasianthus yaharae VS Dang, Tagane & H. Tran).(Photo: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)

Yahara Scented Species (Lasianthus yaharae VS Dang, Tagane & H. Tran) are characterized by 1-1.5 m tall shrubs and hairless branches. Spear-shaped oval leaves to oval, hairless on both sides; wedge-shaped root, pointed tip with nose. Clusters of flowers grow in leaf axils, bearing many flowers; sessile flowers; radio shaped bell and dark red; cylindrical colon and light pink. The fruit is egg-shaped and reddish brown when ripe.

The wild-type (Lasianthus) is a large genus with about 180 species distributed mainly in Asia, less in Africa and the Americas. In Vietnam alone, this species has about 31 species and is often found in high mountain areas over 1000 m.