Ceropegia vietnamensis Nguyen-Phi & Luu, a species of the Trúc Đào family (Apocynaceae), has recently been announced as a new species for science, with a standard specimen obtained from the Bình Châu – Phước Bửu Nature Reserve Park in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province. This new species (Vietnamese name: Lồng đèn, meaning “Vietnamese Lantern”) is morphologically similar to Ceropegia laotica Rodda & Meve, particularly in flower colour. However, the distinguishing feature between these two species is the number of flowers in each inflorescence, with 1–2 flowers in C. laotica and 3–30 flowers in C. vietnamensis.

In terms of ecology, the new species was found growing under the canopy of a sparse forest that is periodically flooded, dominated by tree species such as Melaleuca cajuputi L. (Tràm Nước), Dipterocarpus intricatus Dyer (Dầu Lông), and Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq. (Dầu Trà beng), as well as mixed with other vines such as Dioscorea sp. (Khoai Mài), Streptocaulon kleinii Wright & Arn. (Bạc Căn), Tetracera scandens (L.) Merr. (Dây Chiều), and Stemona pierrei Gagnep (Bách Bộ).

The genus Ceropegia L. sensu stricto, which comprises more than 200 species, is mainly distributed in Southeast Asia, China, India, Madagascar, Arabia, the Canary Islands, Africa, Papua New Guinea, and Northern Australia. This genus includes many species of ornamental value grown in various parts of the world. With a limited distribution and a small number of individuals, Ceropegia vietnamensis has been proposed as Critically Endangered (CR) according to IUCN Red List standards.

The article by Dr. Lưu Hồng Trường (Southern Institute of Ecology), Dr. Nguyễn Phi Ngà (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, VNUHCM-University of Science), and Eng. Lê Văn Sơn (Nature Reserve Park of Bình Châu – Phước Bửu), published in Academia Journal of Biology, Vol. 44, No. 4 (2022), on 29 December 2022.

Link to download the article: Ceropegia vietnamensis Nguyen-Phi & Luu

Information quoted from the Facebook page of the Faculty of Biology – Biotechnology: https://www.facebook.com/khoashcnsh