Khanh Hoa proposes to preserve and multiply Krempf flower tea

Khanh Hoa scientists propose to preserve Krempf flower tea discovered in two locations in the mountainous areas of the province, the scope of distribution is narrow with limited number of individuals.

>>>Found mi Krempf camellia after more than 100 years

At the end of 2013, the research team of Piduop Nui Ba province National Park in Lam Dong and Da Lat University also found this species in Hon Giao Pass, adjacent to Khanh Hoa province. This is an endemic tea species of Vietnam and a rare genetic resource, which can be proposed for inclusion in the Red Book for natural zoning; at the same time research and propagation.

According to Khanh Hoa Department of Science and Technology, in the middle of 2013, during the investigation process to build Khanh Hoa forest biodiversity database, the research group of Southern Institute of Ecology cooperated with the Control Department Khanh Hoa forest accidentally discovered an individual species of this tree in Hon Ba mountain, but at that time the tree did not flower.

Krempf flower tea.(Photo: dlu.edu.vn)

In November 2013, the team met this species in Son Thai mountain area, located in Khanh Vinh mountainous district (6km away from Hon Ba Nature Reserve along the flyway). Thanks to the full sampling, including flowers and fruits, the researchers helped identify the plant more clearly. After more than 100 years, international botanists found them for the first time in 1912, also in the area of ​​Hon Ba mountain.

The documents show that, in 1942, this plant was published by the French botanist F. Gagnepain and named Thea Krempfii, belonging to the tea family. By 1949, this tree was classified as the new genus Camellia Krempfii. However, this tea has not been found in the wild since then.

Krempf flower tea has a small wooden trunk, up to 8m tall, with many branches; single leaves, hairless, elongated blade, ribbed edges; Leaf edges have small serrated teeth, purple tail leaves. Their flowers are usually single flowers, sometimes two, growing in leaf axils, red, 5-7cm in diameter; capsule, spherical flat, including 10 zones, 6-7cm diameter; Glossy brown grain, size 1.5-2cm.

For ecology, this plant is present in tropical evergreen closed forest, distributed at elevations from 700-800m, relatively small regeneration in nature.