George Orel

A New Species of Camellia Section Piquetia (Theaceae) from Vietnam

ABSTRACT A new species of Camellia (Theaceae) endemic to the Dalat Plateau in southern Vietnam is described and illustrated: Camellia dongnaiensis. The newly described species has large pendulous, narrowly obovate leaves; two whorled, waxy, pendulous flowers exhibiting emarginate, graduated yellow-apricot to intensely pink petals; peduncles distinctly wider at the proximal end; a compound style consisting of six parts that are fused at the base for one third of their length; persistent bracteoles; and a superior five-chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement in Camellia sect. Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy.

Four New Species and Two New Sections of Camellia (Theaceae) from Vietnam

Abstract.  Four new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) are described from Vietnam: C. duyana Orel, Curry & Luu, C. ligustrina Orel, Curry & Luu, C. bugiamapensis Orel, Curry, Luu & Q. D. Nguyen, and C. capitata Orel, Curry & Luu. The new taxa were collected from the Da Lat Plateau and the Lang Biang Massif phytogeographic region in southern Vietnam. The new finds are morphologically dissimilar to known Camellia species, and for two species, the new sections Camellia sect. Capitatae Orel and Camellia sect. Pierrea Orel are established. These species are endemic to the montane temperate or to the lowland tropical rainforests of Vietnam.

Camellia cattienensis: a new species of Camellia (sect. Archaecamellia: Theaceae) from Vietnam

SummaryA new species of the genus Camellia L. (Theaceae, Theoideae) is described and illustrated under the name C. cattienensis. This species occurs in the rainforest vegetation of Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. A discussion of the morphological characters distinguishing this new species from related Camellia species is presented. Morphological evidence supports a transitional taxonomic placement in Camellia sect. Archaecamellia Sealy. This placement is justified by C. cattienensis exhibiting some morphological characteristics also found in sects Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy and Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy.

A New Species of Camellia Sect. Stereocarpus (Theaceae) from Vietnam

Abstract A new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae), C. maiana Orel, endemic to the Da Lat Plateau in southern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The newly described species has variable-sized, ovate to obovate leaves; 2-whorled, terminal, sessile flowers exhibiting emarginate, opaque to translucently white, finely textured petals; a compound style consisting of four parts that are fused at the base; persistent bracteoles; and a superior 4-chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement as a transitional member of Camellia sect. Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy.

Camellia cherryana Theaceae, a new Species from China

A new species of Camellia (Theaceae), C. cherryana Orel, endemic to the Sichuan-Yunnan border region, the Peoples Republic of China, is described and illustrated. It has variably sized, slightly coriaceous, elliptic to lanceolate leaves with a strongly acuminate apex and cuneate base; the adaxial leaf surface is glabrous and slightly pitted, mid-green and shiny, the abaxial leaf surface is sparsely pubescent, light green and shiny; the flowers are solitary, pedicellate, 5–7 cm in diam.; the corolla is two-whorled, white and the petals are soft, opaque to translucent, orbicular or almost orbicular, widely reflexed with undulate margins; the filaments are glabrous, up to 1.5 cm long, but mostly shorter; the styles are three, brown, densely pubescent, 1–1.2 cm long, basally joined but otherwise free; and the stigma is of the same colour, indistinct. The morphological evidence supports a placement in Camellia sect. Heterogena.

Two new species of Polyspora (Theaceae) from Vietnam and new combinations for some Asian species

Abstract Orel G., Wilson P. G., Curry A. S. & Luu H. T.: Two new species of Polyspora (Theaceae) from Vietnam and new combinations for some Asian species. — Willdenowia 43: 301–308. December 2013. — ISSN 0511-9618;