Pyrenaria buisanensis

Pyrenaria buisanensis (common name: Wuwei camellia) is a species of tea endemic to Taiwan. It was first described by the Japanese botanist S. Sasaki in 1931, but the herbarium specimens were lost and the species identity remained dubious until a 2004 publication that reported its rediscovery and reclassified it as a species of Pyrenaria.[2][3] Its status remains controversial, with some sources including in Pyrenaria microcarpa.[4][5]

Pyrenaria buisanensis

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Theaceae
Genus: Pyrenaria
Species:
P. buisanensis
Binomial name
Pyrenaria buisanensis
(Sasaki) C.F.Hsieh et al.
Synonyms
  • Camellia buisanensis Sasaki

Description

Pyrenaria buisanensis is an evergreen tree that can grow 15 m (49 ft) tall.[1][3][6] Bark is brown-reddish with thin and irregular slices. The leaves are alternate, more or less clustered, thick-coriaceous, elliptic or obovate and typically measure 6 cm–11 cm × 2.5 cm–4 cm (2.4 in–4.3 in × 1.0 in–1.6 in), occasionally longer. The flowers are axillary and solitary. The corolla is white to pale-yellow and measures 2–3.5 cm (0.8–1.4 in) in diameter.[6]

The flowers can be used for making tea.[3]

Habitat and conservation

This species is known from only three localities in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. It grows at forest edges and on mountain ridges at elevations below 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Only about 35–40 mature trees are known to exist. In the past, it has greatly suffered from logging. Current threats include weather damage, collection for firewood, and potentially collection into horticulture.[1]

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References
  1. Rivers, M.C. (2017). "Pyrenaria buisanensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T112185961A112185970. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T112185961A112185970.en.
  2. Su, Mong-Huai; Yang, Sheng-Zehn & Hsieh, Chang-Fu (2004). "The identity of Camellia buisanensis Sasaki (Theaceae)" (PDF). Taiwania. 49 (3): 201–208.
  3. "Wuwei camellia". Global Trees Campaign. 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. "Pyrenaria buisanensis (Sasaki) C.F. Hsieh, Sheng Z. Yang & M.H. Su". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 16 August 2018 – via The Plant List.
  5. Tianlu Min; Bruce Bartholomew. "Pyrenaria microcarpa var. ovalifolia (H. L. Li) T. L. Ming & S. X. Yang". Flora of China. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  6. "Pyrenaria buisanensis (Sasaki) C. F. Hsieh, S. Z. Yang & M. H. Su". Plants of Taiwan. National Taiwan University. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2018.

Further reading
  • Camellia buisanensis Sasaki, Transactions of the Natural History Society of Formosa 21: 222. 1931. (Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Formos., 台灣博物學會會報)
  • Thea buisanensis (Sasaki) Metcalf, Lingnan science journal 12(1): 180. 1933. (Lingnan Sci. J.)
  • Camelliastrum buisanensis (Sasaki) Nakai, Journal of Japanese Botany 16: 700. 1940. (J. Jpn. Bot., 植物硏究雑誌)
  • Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze ssp. buisanensis (Sasaki) Lu & Yang, Quarterly journal of Chinese forestry 20(1): 106. 1987. (excluding descriptions, figures, neotype: Pingtun. (Quart. J. Chin. For., 中華林學季刊)
  • Tutcheria taiwanica H. T. Chang & S. X. Ren, Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni 30(1): 71. 1991. (Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni, 中山大學學報. 自然科學版)
  • Yang. 1982. A list of plants in Taiwan (台灣植物名彙).
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