Helicia cauliflora Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. 19: 24 (1938) Blumea 8 (1): 73 (1955) Helicia dongxingensis H.S.Kiu, Guihaia 15: 111 (1995) Taxonomic Notes on Helicia (Proteaceae) I: Revision for Two Species from Continental Asia with new synonym and typification Wang, Yuer Phytotaxa 2025 2025-08-08 714 2 118 128 3K7FZ Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. [136,617,244,271] Magnoliopsida Proteaceae Helicia Plantae Proteales 2 120 Tracheophyta species cauliflora   Type:— Vietnam[Indo-China], Tonkin, route de Vinh Yenau Tam Dao,  May 1935(fl.),  A. Pételot 5684( lectotype, first step, designated by Sleumer 1955: A; second step, here designated: barcode A00035444(fig. 1 A); isolectotypes: A!, no barcode (fig. 1 B); HNU!; NY! 00284743; P[image!] P00750613, P00750614).  =   Helicia dongxingensisH.S.Kiu, Guihaia15: 111 (1995);  H. S.Kiu & P. H. Weston, Fl.  China5: 196 (2003);  syn. nov. Type:— China, Guangxi Province, Fangchenggang City, Mt. Shiwan Dashan, Pingwang Township, Vicinity of Taipingtian, alt.   450 m.  22 January 1994(fr.),  S. H. Chun 4463. (  holotype: IBSC! 0087478, barcode verified here).   Amended Description:Trees 3–8 m, branches and leaves glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple; petiole 1–2.5 cm; pulvinus present at base of petiole, 2–5 mmin length, woody; leaf blade glabrous, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 8–20 cm× 2–5.5 cm, coriaceous, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire, sparsely serrate, to serrate, apex acuminate; secondary veins 7–11 on each side of midvein, slightly impressed adaxially, slightly raised abaxially, anastomosing; the first pair of secondary veins arising from leaf base and located close to leaf margin. Inflorescence single or cluster of 2(–4) racemes that matures acropetally, ramiflorous or cauliflorous, 8–21 cmin length; rachis and peduncle sparsely ferrugineo-pilose; peduncle of flower pair 0–2 mmlong; bract of flower pair triangular, ca. 1 mm. Pedicel sparsely ferrugineo-pilose, 1–6 mmlong; receptacle erect, 0.8–1.5 mmwide; floral bract lanceolate to filiform, ca. 0.8 mm; perianth tube 4-lobed, 1.5–4 cmin length, sparsely white-pilose, pink to magenta, turning light purple at anthesis, apex yellowish; stamens adnate to perianth lobes; anthers dehiscing with longitudinal slit; style 1.2–3.8 cmlong with stigma dilated; ovary sessile, glabrous; hypogynous glands 4, connate; Fruits erect to oblique, one-seeded, ellipsoid to near globose, radial or bilateral symmetrical, 2–4 cmlong, 1–3 cmwide, fleshy indehiscent (rarely dehiscent along ventral suture), basally contracted into a short stipe, apically markedly beaked with style and stigma persistent; ventral suture present; pericarp 1–2 mmthick; exocarp brown, pitted; mesocarp fleshy; cotyledons purple to magenta. Flower April to June; fruit August to February the next year.   Distribution and Habitat: China(SW Guangxi) to N Vietnam, elevation below  900 m.On mountain slopes, near streams in lowland tropical monsoon rainforests and cloud forests.  Assessment of Conservation Status:The synonym  Helicia dongxingensiswas under “VU (Vulnerable), A2c” in China’s Red List of Biodiversity: Higher Plants (2020). For an assessment of  H. cauliflorain its full course of distribution, the author suggests a rank of “VU (Vulnerable), B1ab” with an estimated EOO of 15,869 km 2, based on the standards of IUCN ( IUCN 2025). The lowland rainforest habitat of  Helicia cauliflorais highly fragmented and has severely declined during the last 20 years, resulting from logging and deforestation of the tropical rainforest in the Sino-Vietnamese border region ( Woodruff 2010). The decline of habitat and populations for this species is unlikely to be reversible.  Additional Specimens examined:   CHINA. Guangxi: Fangchenggang City, Fangcheng District, Nasuo Town[ ãūē], Pingshuiding Reservoir[ ṿAEṈAEṽ],  467 m, 21.75° N, 108.08° E,  20 January 2018(fr.),  Bo Liuet al. 221( JJF[image!] JJF 00045230);  Nasuo Town, Lanshan Erta[  ÎƜ二塔].  440 m, 108.0378° E, 21.7569° N,  22 June 2021(st.),  Yonggang Liuet al. 1502|4( PE! Sheet No.2771802);  Nasuo Town, Nasuo Village[ ãūť], Meizaitian[ 妹仔 H],  180 m, 21.7491° N, 108.099996° E,  13 January 2021(fr.),  Yonggang Liuet al. 243|5;  Nasuo Town, Shangyuegou[ 上ėŝ], Siyan Road[ Ŀân],  370 m, 21.764208° N, 108.08525° E,  29 June 2021(fl.),  H. N. Qinet al. 1578|4( PE! Sheet No.2771801);  Nasuo Town, near front gate of Conghuanggou Scenic Area[ DZẽŝ],  28.05 m, 21.7441223° N, 108.0585607° E,  27 April 2025(fl. et fr.),  Z. X. Ma2304( BAZI! 001611 to 001618);  Fangchenggang City, Mt. Shiwandashan[ 十万大Ɯ], Pingwang Township, Vicinity of Shaping Village[ ŭṿť],  12 February 1944(fr.),  S. H. Chun4837( IBSC! 0087478);  Shangsi County[ 上ō县], Mt. Shiwandashan[ 十万大Ɯ], Fenghuang Township[ 凤凰 乡], Mt. Lugui[ ṻfflƜ],  12 February 1944(st.),  S. H. Chun4553( IBSC! 0206122);     VIETNAM. Bắc Ninh: Bắc Giang, SƠn Động, Tuấn Mậu,  12 April 2013(fl.),  N. T. Cuongand D.D. Cuong   VN2357( HN!).  Phú Thọ:locality unclear,  Nov 1964(fr.), s.col. 1704( HNU!).  Quảng Ninh: Tiên Yên, Kau Nga Shan, and Vicinity,  13–22 December 1936(fr.),  W. T. Tsang27386( A!; IBSC! 0205809; IBK! IBK00386384; HITBC! 053260);   Vĩnh Phúc: Tam Dao National Park, along trail in the southern outskirts of Tam Dao town,  870 m, 21º26’54” N, 105º38’50” E,  2 May 2013(fl.),  Ulf Swensonet. al. 1542, ( S[image!], Herb. No. S14-26136; P[image!] P00910975). Tam Đảo,  30 May 1977(fl.),  Vũxuân PHƯƠng 164( HN!); ibid.,  3 August 1976(fr.), LX-VN 983( HN!); ibid., s. ann. (fl.),  Eberhardt4967( P[image!] P02309918). 1935-05 A, B, HNU, NY, P de Vinh Yen Vietnam Vinh Yen au Tam Dao 2 120 A00035444, P00750613, P00750614 2 lectotype [723,1203,428,450] H, S, P Weston, Fl. China China 2 120 1 1994-01-22 S, H, IBSC China Type 450 Mt. Shiwan Dashan Fangchenggang City 2 120 450 Guangxi holotype 2018-01-20 JJF Bo Liu China Fangchenggang City 467 21.75 Nasuo Town 757 108.08 Fangcheng District 2 120 JJF 00045230 1 Guangxi 2021-06-22 IM, PE Yonggang Liu & Sheet No. China 440 21.7569 Lanshan Erta 7 108.0378 Nasuo Town 2 120 1 Guangxi 2021-01-13 H Yonggang Liu China Nasuo Town 180 21.7491 Meizaitian 5 108.1 Nasuo Village 2 120 1 Guangxi 2021-06-29 H, N, PE Qin & Sheet No. China Nasuo Town 370 21.764208 Siyan Road 1 108.08525 Shangyuegou 2 120 1 Guangxi 2025-04-27 Z, BAZI X. Ma China 28 21.744122 Conghuanggou Scenic Area 1 108.05856 Nasuo Town 2 120 1 Guangxi 1944-02-12 S, H, IBSC Chun China Fangchenggang City Pingwang Township Mt. Shiwandashan 2 120 1 Guangxi 1944-02-12 S, H, IBSC Chun China Shangsi County Fenghuang Township Mt. Shiwandashan 2 120 1 Guangxi [189,1408,1828,1857] 2013-04-12 B, M, N, T Giang & Cuong & D. D. Cuong Vietnam Tu 2 120 1 Ninh 1936-12-13 1964-11 1936-12-13 HN, HNU, W, T, A, IBSC, IBK, HITBC Qu Vietnam Phu Th Kau Nga Shan Tien Yen 2 120 IBK00386384 1 Ninh 1977-05-30 2013-05-02 1977-05-30 S, P, HN Herb. No. & Tam D & Vu Vietnam Tam Dao National Park 870 21.448332 Ulf Swenson 21 105.64722 Tam Dao town 2 120 S14-26136, P00910975 1 Vinh Phuc [800,1301,2008,2034] 1976-08-03 2013-05-02 1977-05-30 HN Herb. No. & Tam D & Vu Vietnam Tam Dao National Park 870 21.448332 Ulf Swenson 21 105.64722 Tam Dao town 2 120 1 Vinh Phuc 1976-08-03 2013-05-02 1977-05-30 P Herb. No. & Tam D & Vu Vietnam Tam Dao National Park 870 21.448332 Eberhardt 21 105.64722 Tam Dao town 2 120 P02309918 1 Vinh Phuc