Xia Nianhe bamboo (Yersinochloa nianheana), a rare bamboo species from Voi Mountain, southern Vietnam

NEWS - Xia Nianhe bamboo (Yersinochloa nianheana) from southern Vietnam, grows at an elevation of 1400-1500 meters on Voi Mountain, Duc Trong District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Researchers added a new species to Yersinochloa H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran 2016, a very rare genus.

Yersinochloa consists of Y. dalatensis H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran and Y. nghiana V.T.Tran & T.V.Tran which are narrowly distributed in degraded natural forests in the highlands of southern Vietnam. This genus is distinguished from other related genera of Bambusinae by pseudo-spikelets with only one perfect floret, unnotched palea and anther tips with small spines.

Researchers conducted a bamboo survey on Voi Mountain in December 2023 and found several populations of climbing bamboos growing sparsely in a valley. This population has only one perfect floret without terminal remnant flower, palea is not notched and the anther tip has small spines.

The shape, branch structure and inflorescence of the collected specimens are similar to Yersinochloa. However, the combination of leaf-stem structure and inflorescence, along with other features are not found in other bamboo species.

Y. nianheana differs from Y. dalatensis by having thick and swollen kneecaps at the culm nodes (vs. without thick and swollen kneecaps), erect culm leaf blades (vs. folded) and prominent auricles (vs. absent).

Y. nianheana differs from Y. nghiana in having flat culm leaf blades at the base (vs. swollen at the base), palea with white cilia at the top (vs. glabrous), purple lodicules at the top half, not bifurcated at the base (vs. purple, bifurcated at the base) and 2-keeled buds (vs. 1-keeled buds).

The bamboo grows in degraded natural forest and was found flowering in December 2023. The new species is named in honor of Prof. Xia Nianhe for his contributions to bamboo research. The specimen is only known from a single population and no more than 500 mature clumps.

Original research

Van Duy N, Vinh TT, Cong VK, Hoi QV, Tham DT, Hang NTT, Khiem DV, Truong HT, Nghia NH, Minh NTA, Tien TV (2024). Yersinochloa nianheana (Poaceae, Bambusoideae), a new species from southern Vietnam. PhytoKeys 247: 67-73, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.132975

Dlium theDlium

Tekijem (Cyperus cyperoides)

Tekijem ( Cyperus cyperoides ) is a plant species in Cyperaceae, annual grasses that grow in seasonal wetlands, open or shaded fields, swamps, ponds, rice fields, roadsides, open forests, secondary forests and shrubs at altitudes up to 1,800 m in the tropics. C. cyperoides has an upright, triangular shape, 20-75 cm tall from a very short rhizome and has no stolon. The lanceolate-shaped leaves are narrow and long, the tips are pointed, slippery, shiny, green and grow at the bottom and at the top of the stem. The terminal flower appears on the tip of the stem, cylindrical spiklet shaped and green. Each stem has two to seven flowers, each of which has a short or long stem that grows at the end of the stem together with the leaves. Tekijem grows solitary or in small groups at a distance. Propagating using vegetative and generative methods using seeds. At least three sub-species are Cyperus cyperoides cyperoides , Cyperus cyperoides flavus and Cyperus cyperoides pseudoflavus . Th...

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

Cengkeh or clove or Eugenia aromaticum ( Syzygium aromaticum ) is a plant species in Myrtaceae, growing up to 10-20 m, large leaves and dark red flowers are grouped in terminals, dried flower-scented buds, widely used as cooking spices, medical ingredients, oils and typical cigarettes Indonesia. S. aromaticum has flowers in a pale hue and gradually turns green, then bright red when ready for harvest. Cloves are harvested 1.5-2.0 cm long and consist of long petals which end in four diffuse sepals and four unopened petals that form a small middle ball. Clove has a number of varieties including Afo, Posi-posi, Siputih, Zanzibar, and Sikotok. Zanzibar has lush leaves and dark green, low branches on the stem and produces light green flower buds. Siputih cloves have branches at the top of the stem, lush leaves and yellow-green flower buds. Morphology of S. aromaticum is classified into 3 types: Maluku (Afo, Tibobo, Tauro, Sibela, Indari, Air Mata, Dokiri and Daun Buntal), wild (Raja...

Kemadih (Schultesianthus coriaceus)

Kemadih ( Schultesianthus coriaceus ) is a species of plant in the Solanaceae family. It grows as a climber and covers host trees. It is a perennial, multi-branched, hardwood plant with hard, brown bark and dark green young bark. S. coriaceus has thick leaves, 15 cm long and 8 cm wide. A central vein is linear, with a pointed tip and base. The upper surface is dark green and the lower surface is bright green. The petiole is 3 cm long. The flowers are fan-shaped with 5 inflorescences. The base is narrow, whitish-yellow or bright green, and 8 cm wide. Four inflorescences with brownish-white tips and one inflorescence with a green tip grow in the center. The fruit is green, 3.5 cm long, and the stalk is 2 cm long. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Subfamily: Solanoideae Tribe: Solandreae Genus: Schultesianthus Species: Schultesianthus coriaceus

Dlium