New plant species in Ha Giang limestone mountain

Scientists have discovered a new plant species in limestone mountains in Ha Giang province.

Species Elatostema arcuatobracteatum: A. Life form.B. Male flower branch.C. Male inflorescence.D. Leaves attached.E. Branch with female flowers.F. Female inflorescence.(Photo: Do ​​Truong)

New species called Cao hùng lá bắc cung , scientific name is Elatostema arcuatobracteatum LF Fu, VT Do & CX He, sp. nov.

High-mighty leaves have characteristic morphological characteristics such as branched stems, main leaves on the female-shaped flowers with a diameter of 8-10mm, while secondary bracts on their female flowers have an egg shape with a diameter of 0.6mm. and the underside of the bracts of the leaves has many spots of kidney stones.

This species was discovered under the canopy of evergreen broadleaf forest on low limestone mountains, located in the strictly protected area of ​​Bac Me Nature Reserve, Ha Giang. But this distribution area is under strong impacts from burning activities, deforestation to expand cultivated areas, reducing the distribution area and the size of the population.

The discovery of the new species is the result of cooperation between the Vietnam Museum of Nature and the Guangxi Plant Institute (China) in the process of studying the diversity of a number of plant groups in northern Vietnam.