Quercus trungkhanhensis Binh & Ngoc: a New Oak From Vietnam

Béatrice Chassé

Published May 2020 in International Oaks No. 31: 27–30

Introduction

During a botanical survey in the Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Area (Cao Bang Province in northeastern Vietnam) in 2016, a species of oak, similar in leaf characteristics to Quercus engleriana Seemen and Q. marlipoensis Hu & Cheng, and in acorn characteristics to Q. franchetii Skan, was observed (Binh et al. 2018).^[1] After thorough analysis of morphology and DNA sequencing (ITS and matK), the authors concluded that this was a new species, naming it Q. trungkhanhensis, after the type locality (Trung Khanh District, Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Area).

As the area of occupancy of this new species is less than 10 km² with the known population size of less than 50 individuals (only two trees have been found) the authors proposed that its conservation status should be Critically Endangered (IUCN 2001).

References

Binh, H. T., N. Van Ngoc, V.A. Tai, H.T. Son, S. Tagane, and T. Yahara. 2018. Quercus trungkhanhensis (Fagaceae), a New Species from Cao Vit Gibbon Conservation Area, Cao Bang Province, northeastern Vietnam. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 69(1): 53-61.

IUCN. 2001. ICUN Red List categories and criteria: version 3.1. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge.

Phengklai, C. 2008. Fagaceae. In Flora of Thailand, edited by T. Santisuk and K. Larsen. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.