Two new turmeric species were discovered in Vietnam

Singapore, Vietnam plant researchers have discovered and published two new species of science for science in Ninh Thuan and Quang Ngai, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, in a specialized journal Phytotaxa, volume 192, number 3, page 181 - 189, 2015.

>> Detecting new plant species in Khanh Hoa

1. Dried turmeric - Curcuma arida Škorničk. & NSLý

Name of arid Turmeric Curcuma arida Škorničk. & NSLý derives from the meaning of the Latin word ' aridum ', which means that the drought refers to species that have only recently been recorded in Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan province, one of the driest places in Vietnam.

Dry turmeric is a small grass species, about 0.5 m high . Mature plants have about 3-4 leaves, leaf blades are egg-shaped to elliptical, size 35 × 13 cm, leaf tip is covered with bamboo shoots; petioles are 1 - 9 cm long. The inflorescence grows between the sheaths, size 10 - 20 cm × 4 - 6 cm, carrying 15 - 35 bracts, without any definite bracts; flower stalks of size 20 × 7 mm. The bract is wide or narrow to lanceolate, slightly white to light green at the base, turning slightly purple and spreading at the nose. Baby leaves are white, slightly purple in the nose, sometimes without bract. The petals (lateral lobes) are narrow, concave, white or slightly purple in the nose. The lips are shaped like an inverted egg, the cream color is in the base, and the bright yellow is in the nose. Anther with a spur of 0.5 mm long, fibrous, hook-shaped; medium 1 - 1,5 mm, yellow; anther crest 5 mm long. 2 pistons of 3 mm length. Capsule, white.

Drought technology grows in the rocks of empty fields or under shrub vegetation of Nui Chua semi-arid forest , about 35 to 120 m above sea level where there are many shrubs and trees. common spines. Flowering season is from September to November, fruit season is from October to December.

Curcuma arida - (Photo: Ly Ngoc Sam)

2. The sulfuric acid Curcuma sahuynhensis Škorničk. & NSLý

The sulfuric acid refers to the Sa Huynh site where it was first found . Sa sulfur is also the name given to the ' Sa Huynh culture ' where for the first time ' Sa Huynh - Traiot à Jarres burial grave ' was discovered by French archaeologist M.Vinet over a century ago. century (1909).

Sa sa turmeric is a small grass body, about 0.8 m high . Mature plants have up to 10 leaves, 1-2 leaves when the plant flowers, the leaves are egg-shaped to elliptical, size 20 - 38 × 9 - 16 cm; petioles are about 2 to 20 cm long. Clusters of flowers grow on the side, next to the body, size 6 - 15 × 5 - 9 cm; bearing 10 - 23 bracts, without definite bracts; flower stalks of size 6 - 16 × 8 mm. The egg-shaped bract is wide or narrow to rhombic, white to slightly green at the base, changing from reddish to red coral at the nose, the tip of the leaf is pointed and spread out. Baby leaves are translucent white, sometimes without bracts. The ovary to the triangle, trough, white or yellowish changes slightly red or pink, with fur or not. The lips of the lips are inverted eggs, creamy white in the base, dark yellow in the nose, with a yellow orange line in the middle. Anthers are L-shaped, yellow to orange, thick-bristled, large anther, and 3.5 - 5.5 mm long; anthrax crest 6 to 7 mm long. 2 stigmas are 4 - 6 mm long. Spherical capsule fruit.

The brotherhood grows in coastal lowland forests of Duc Pho district, Quang Ngai province, especially Pho Thanh and Pho Khanh communes.This new Art species grows on poor, nutrient-rich soils of open fields , low shrub forest and Acacia / Eucalyptus plantations at elevations between 95 and 183 m above sea level. Flowering season is from August to October, fruit season is from September to November. Young leaves and young inflorescences of this species are used by locals as food for vegetables.

Sulfur Curcuma sahuynhensis - (Photo: Ly Ngoc Sam)

With 2 new species of Turmeric has just announced to increase the total number of Turmeric species found in Vietnam to about 27 species, and show the high diversity of Nghe An species composition in our country.