Yellow Camellia Germplasm Resources and Their Preservation in Guangxi China

Li Zhi-hui¹*  Huang Mian² Wei Xiao-juan³  Huang Song-dian⁴  Wang Yan⁵  Jiang Chang-jie¹
1.Nanning Golden Camellia Park, Guangxi, China 530022
2.Nanning Landscape administration Bureau, Guangxi, China 530022
3.Guangxi Academy of Forestry, Guangxi, China 530001
4.Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park, Guangxi, China 530031
5.Guangxi Institute of Botany, Guangxi, China 541006

Introduction

Yellow camellias belong to Sect. Chrysantha Chang of Genus Camellia in Family Theaceae. They are one group of highly preserved species in China, and famous ornamentals in the world. In China, yellow camellias are crowned as the ‘Queen of Camellias’ and the ‘Giant Panda of Plants’, and even regarded as ‘imaginary yellow camellia’ abroad ^[1]. On one hand, yellow camellia’s flowers are golden with luster of wax, having great value for collections and landscape, and whose yellow gene is much valuable for breeding new yellow varieties. On the other hand, there are dozens of natural organic trace elements, such as Se, Ge, Mn, etc., and tea polyphenol found in yellow camellia’s flowers, leaves and fruits, which are very helpful to human health^[1-2]. In recent years, yellow camellias are being widely used in fields of ornamentals, breeding and food products. Great advances and profits have been achieved, and summarized as below.

1 Germplasm resources and distribution of yellow camellias in Guangxi

1.1 Germplasm resources of yellow camellias in Guangxi

In the 1960s, yellow camellia (C. chrysantha) was first discovered in Tanluo of Guangxi, when whose studies were reported by taxonomic scholars from China and Japan. Thus it had attracted great attention and interest in the world. Plant taxonomists, breeding scholars and camellia enthusiasts of certain countries in the world came to Guangxi of China in order to enjoy its beauty and carry out relevant researches. From now on, many endemic species and varietas have been discovered in southern Guangxi, however there are great differences in their taxonomic systems. Now there are major three taxonomic systems by Prof. Liang Shengye, Zhang Hongda and Min Tianlu^[3-5], respectively.

1.1.1 Taxonomic systems by Taxonomists Prof. Liang Shengye, Zhang Hongda and Min Tianlu

According to classification system of Prof. Liang Shengye, there are 28 protospecies and 5 varietas of yellow camellias in Guangxi (table 1-1). As for Prof. Zhang Hongda’s systems, it has 15 protospecies and 2 varietas (table 1-2), but according to Min Tianlu’s opinion, there are only 9 protospecies and 4 varietas of yellow camellias combined in Guangxi.

Table 1-1 Liang Shengye’s taxonomic system on yellow camellias in Guangxi

Table 1-2 Zhang Hongda’s taxonomic system on yellow camellias in Guangxi

Table 1-3 Min Tianlu’s taxonomic system on yellow camellias in Guangxi

1.1.2 Probable reasons to great differences in taxonomic systems on yellow camellias

From tables 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3, we know that six yellow camellia species, i.e., C. micrantha, C. pinguoensis var. terminalis, C. flavida, C. euphlebia, C. pingguoensis and C. impressinervis were identified by all the three taxonomists of Genus Camellia. For the rests of other species in their classification systems, they have very different opinions, in which both Prof. Zhang and Prof. Min believed little differences existed in some taxa of yellow camellias, but Prof. Liang does not agree with that.

1.2 Distribution of yellow camellia germplasm resources in Guangxi     

Yellow camellias in Guangxi naturally are distributed in the south of the Tropic of Cancer, ranging from Tian’e county in the north to Fangcheng and Dongxing in the south, and ranging from Longzhou county in the west to Bobai county in the east. However they centrally grow in county of Yongning, Fusui, Fangcheng, Longzhou, Ningming, Chongzuo and Pingxiang. The other distribution is found in Longan, Daxin, Tiandeng, Wuming, Pingguo, Tiandong, Bobai counties, and so on (Fig.1).

Fig.1 Distribution map of yellow camellia germplasm resources in Guangxi          

2 Preservation of yellow camellia germplasm resources in Guangxi

Nowadays, there are major five institutions to conduct preservation and research work on yellow camellias in Guangxi, i.e. Nanning Golden Camellia Park, Guangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park, Guangxi Institute of Botany and Fangcheng National Nature Reserve of Yellow Camellias in Guangxi. Among them, the top four institutions are taking measures on conservation ex-situ, however Fangcheng National Nature Reserve of Yellow Camellias are preserving several yellow camellia species in-situ.

2.1 Conservation ex-situ

Until now, Nanning Golden Camellia Park, Guangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park and Guangxi Institute of Botany are both taking measures to grow yellow camellia species in their institutions and conducting research in various fields by themselves.

2.1.1 Collections and preservation of yellow camellia germplasm resources

Some measures, such as directly introducing wild seedlings, by grafting, by cutting, by layering, by exchanging germplasm and so on, were taken to collect yellow camellia species, and build germplasm pools of yellow camellias for ex-situ conservation by Nanning Golden Camellia Park, Guangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park and Guangxi Institute of Botany. In order to well manage introduced yellow camellia plants, all of the four institutions have formed two teams to conduct professional researches and managements on yellow camellias, respectively, for the purposes of understanding well their features in adaptation, propagation as well as growth.

Till the end of 2012, Nanning Golden Camellia Park has collected 24 endemic species, one form and one varietas of yellow camellias. Guangxi Academy of Forestry has collected 18 endemic species and one varietas. Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park has collected 14 endemic species, one form and one varietas. 24 endemic species, one form and one varietas have been collected by Guangxi Institute of Botany (table 2-1).

Table 2-1 Current ex-situ conservation situations of yellow camellia germplasm resources at the four institutions in Guangxi

 NGCP: Nanning Golden Camellia Park,
GAF: Guangxi Academy of Forestry,
NLNFP: Nanning Liangfengjiang National Forest Park,
GIB: Guangxi Institute of Botany.

2.1.2 Major problems

Firstly, from the numbers in table2-1, we found that there are some differences in numbers of ex-situ conservation yellow camellias among the four institutions. Secondly, there are very few plants conserved for some species, for example, C. pingguoensis var. terminalis, C. pingguoensis, C. longruiensis, C. parvifolia, C. fusuiensis and C. wumingensis, with less than ten individuals in total numbers in all the four units. Thus we should pay much attention to them.

2.2 Conservation in-situ

Fangcheng National Nature Reserve of Yellow Camellia in Guangxi was initially built in 1986. It is the only unit to be established specially for protection of the treasure of endangered yellow camellia germplasm resources in conservation in-situ.

2.2.1 Current status of the Reserve

The National Nature Reserve covers a total area of 9195.1 hectare, 3 endemic species and one varietas grown there, which are C. nitidissima, C. euphlebia, C. tunghinensis and C. nitidissima var. longistyla, respectively. The total individual plants of all species are estimated at 1,180,000.

2.2.2 Main protection measures

In order to well protect wild yellow camellia germplasm resources, Fangcheng National Nature Reserve, on one hand, has hired some experienced senior technicians and experts who help to provide techniques for protection and improvement of vigorious growth on yellow camellias in the nature reserve, to promote researches on ecology and habitat, breeding, cultivation, insects and diseases of yellow camellias. On the other hand, some practical strategies, such as strengthening communication and exchange with local farmers, carrying out popularization of relevant laws such as the ‘Forestry Law’ and ‘Nature Reserve Management Regulations of the People's Republic of China’, improving local farmers’ legal consciousness, developing perfect control system and so on, are being positively adopted by the Fangcheng National Nature Reserve of Yellow Camellias.

3. Suggestions

3.1 For current situations in taxonomic systems on yellow camellias, the relevant research institutions and experts should conduct comprehensive and in-depth research on differences of taxonomy to achieve common results on basis of scientific spirit. Thus, it is very helpful to carry out further research, exploitation and utilization of yellow camellia germplasm resources in Guangxi. Meanwhile, financial and equipment supports by functional departments of governments at all level, relevant companies and entrepreneurs are badly needed.

3.2 For problems regarding few individual plants of some yellow camellia species in the four ex-situ conservation units, it is badly needed to strengthen communication and cooperation with each other. There are some practicable ways by exchange and purchase to enlarge yellow camellia germplasm resources in all the relevant institutions. For the low numbers of yellow camellia species, some effective methods, such as cutting, layering and so on, are needed to increase numbers of these endangered species. The objective aims to effectively conserve those endangered species of yellow camellias in Guangxi.

3.3 Although Guangxi is rich in yellow camellia germplasm resources, but there is only one institution engaging in preservation in-situ. However, what they protect is only a little part of yellow camellia germplasm resources in Guangxi, it isn’t enough. So, more nature reserves should be established with support and involvement of relevant departments of governments at high level. At the same time, we should take more measures to popularize related laws and preservation of environment to help people consciously to positively participate in protection on yellow camellia germplasm resources.

3.4 As medicinal values on yellow camellias, we need further in-depth research due to its great economic importance in exploitation and utilization. So that, in order to protect wild yellow camellia germplasm resources well and solve some problems existed in the resources exploration, relevant institutions should consciously involve in collection, breeding and extension of excellent yellow camellia species to meet requirements of raw materials of yellow camellias in exploration and utilization in future.

Literature cited

[1] Liang Shengye et al. Golden Camellia Species. Beijing: China Forestry Press. 1993: 1-2
[2] Chen Jihui, Wu Shurong et al. Prelimanary discussion on healthy values of golden camellias. Studies of Trace Elements and Health, 1993,10(1):51-61
[3] Liang Shengye. Lists of Yellow Camellia Species in the World. Guangxi Forestry Science, 2007,36(4):221-223
[4] Zhang Hongda, Ren Shanxiang. Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, Tomus 49(3). Beijing, Science Press, 1998. 103-111
[5] Wu Zhengyi, Hong Deyuan. Flora of China. Vol.12. Beijing, Science Press, 2007. 368-372

 * Author for correspondence: Senior Engineer, lzhfy1996@163.com