''Bretschneidera sinensis'', the sole species in genus ''Bretschneidera'', is a rare, tall a monotypic species of tree with large inflorescences. It is found in south and east of
China,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
, northern
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
and northern
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. It is threatened by
habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
. Because of its relatively recent discovery in Taiwan and Thailand, it is possible that it could also be found in Laos and northern Myanmar. It was named in honor of
Emil Bretschneider
Emil Bretschneider ( in Bankaushof (now Benkavas muiža, Saldus novads, Latvia) – in Saint Petersburg) was a sinologist of Baltic German ethnicity and a correspondent member of the Académie française. He operated in the Russian Empire. H ...
.
In Thailand it is known as ''Chompoo Phu Kha'' ( th, ชมพูภูคา) and is found only in
Doi Phu Kha National Park on the
Luang Prabang Range where it flowers in February and March.
[“Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan”](_blank)
/ref>
The taxonomic position of genus ''Bretschneidera'' is enigmatic, and it has also been placed in its own family, Bretschneideraceae.
Reproduction
B. sinensis has an outcrossing entomophily
Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertise themselves with bright colours, som ...
breeding system with protogyny and a high P/O ratio, and is pollinated by a variety of insects, with the main pollinators belonging to Hymenoptera. low fruit production, habitat destruction, low numbers of flowering individuals, and low pollen transfer efficacy are leading to the continued endangerment of the species.
References
Monotypic Brassicales genera
Akaniaceae
Endangered plants
Trees of China
Trees of Taiwan
Trees of Thailand
Flora of Vietnam
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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