Lithocarpus orbicarpus (Fagaceae), a new species of Stone Oak from Phang Nga province, Thailand

Abstract

A new species is described, Lithocarpus orbicarpus Strijk, collected from Ton Pariwat Wildlife Sanctuary, Mueang district, Phang Nga Province in the Peninsular Floristic Region of Thailand. We provide the first technical illustrations and colour photographs of the new species, as well as a description of its conservation status and the collecting locality. The species can be easily distinguished by its unique orbicular acorns, each covered with a dense pattern of irregularly placed scales, which completely conceal the nut, except for a tiny apical pore, and which are arranged in a dense cluster on an erect woody spike. We also provide an amendment to the existing diagnostic key to Lithocarpus, and discuss important differences with morphologically similar species found in Thailand and the surrounding region.

Lithocarpus dahuensis (Fagaceae), a new species from Fujian Province based on morphology and genomic data

“…These species are widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical broad-leaved evergreen forests throughout East and Southeast Asia, extending to New Guinea ( Cannon 2001 ). The center of diversity is in East to Southeast Asia, with 123 species in China, mainly distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan ( Huang et al 1999 ), 58 species in Thailand ( Strijk et al 2014 ), and 121 species in Vietnam ( Ngoc et al 2022 ).…”

“…The male flowers are either solitary or in clusters of three or more, with campanulate or cup-shaped perianths, usually 6-lobed, partially united, and 12 stamens. The female flowers are usually solitary or in clusters of two to five, but only one or two of them are well developed, and they have perianths similar to male flowers, but smaller, and with 12 staminodes ( Strijk et al 2014 ). The sessile cupules are cup-shaped to discoid, with triangular to rhomboid bracts arranged in a diamond pattern on the cupule surface, enclosing the nuts completely or partially.…”

Lithocarpus encleisocarpus (Korth.) A. Camus - A newly recorded from Vietnam and its phylogenetic relationship based on genome-wide SNPs

“…;Ho, 2003;Ban, 2005;Ngoc et al, 2016Ngoc et al, , 2018Ngoc et al, , 2021, Thailand (60 spp. ; Barnett, 1940;Phengklai, 2008;Strijk et al, 2014aStrijk et al, , 2014bStrijk et al, , 2019 and one North American species (Lithocarpus densiflorus Hook. & Arn.…”

Lithocarpus gigantophyllus (Fagaceae), a new record from Loei province (Thailand)

“…Since the first treatment of Lithocarpus in Thailand (Barnett, 1942) (30 spp. ), intensified field surveys have revealed many new populations, records and several endemic species for Thailand (Phengklai, 2004;Strijk et al, 2014a;Strijk et al, 2014b) . The most recent systematic treatment of Lithocarpus for the Flora of Thailand (Phengklai, 2008) describes 56 species, bringing the updated total to 58, the largest genus in the family in Thailand.…”