Morphological and molecular evidence reveals three new species of Lithocarpus (Fagaceae) from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Vietnam

PhytoKeys. 2021 Dec 6:186:73-92. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.186.69878. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Three new species, Lithocarpusbidoupensis Ngoc & Tagane, L.congtroiensis Ngoc & Yahara, and L.hongiaoensis Ngoc & Binh are described from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Central Highland of Vietnam. Morphological analyses and Maximum likelihood tree based on genome-wide SNPs support the distinction of those species from the previously known taxa in the region. The three new species are considered to be endemic to the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park and the preliminary conservation status for each species is evaluated as Critically Endangered.

Keywords: Fagales; Lam Dong Province; MIG-seq; phylogeny; taxonomy.