Discovering new plant species in Kien Giang

In the biodiversity research program in Kien Luong limestone mountain area of ​​Kien Giang province, experts from the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Tropical Biology and Edinburgh and Scotland Botanical Garden experts discovered and published a plant species. Ornithoboea is new to science.

Limestone mountains in Kien Luong, Kien Giang.Photo: Baoanhdatmui.

The new plant, called Ornithoboea emarginata, is very similar to the Ornithoboea lacei Craib in Myanmar because it features concave corolla lobes. However, this species is different because of the lack of very short leaves in the adult base, the margins are much more irregular, with more hair on the anther and shorter fruit.

The new species in Kien Giang is also different from the Ornithoboea wildeneana Craib on the leaf edge, the concave corolla lobes and shorter fruits. The Ornithoboea emarginata is found in the limestone mountain area of ​​Kien Luong district. This is a narrow endemic species of crocodile cave, about 3km west of Hon Chong. This species is also found in nearby limestone mountains such as Ba Tai, Hang Tien, Mo So.

Ornithoboea emarginata is a shade tolerant plant, growing dust scattered on cracks or small soil holes on the walls of limestone caves from a height of 10 to 70 m above sea level. The number of populations as well as the number of individuals in this population is found on limestone mountains in Kien Giang.