Kien Giang: Discovering new plant species

(Photo: my.opera.com) Tropical Biology Institute (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) in collaboration with HOLCIM Cement Company has just discovered a new plant species with scientific names, Begonia bataiensis Kiew, or Also known as Thu Hai Duong in limestone mountains of Kien Luong district (Kien Giang).

This new plant species grows mainly in rocky slits with moist environment and shady places on limestone mountains, 10-50 meters above sea level. Thu Hai Duong has a narrow, slender cylindrical fruit shape, berries, without stems and tubers, giving one, two or up to five small leaves with sparse hairs, flowers growing into beams higher than leaves.

The area found the new plant species as the only open limestone block of the southern region and the Mekong Delta. Currently, the Tropical Biology Institute is continuing to research and establish a scientific basis to propose to competent authorities to recognize the biological conservation area for this limestone area.