Helicia cauliflora Merr., J. Arnold Arbor.

Helicia cauliflora Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. View in CoL 19: 24 (1938); Sleumer, Blumea View in CoL 8 (1): 73 (1955); H.S.Kiu, Fl. Reipubl.

Popularis Sin. 24: 16 (1988); P.H.Hô, Fl. Cambodge Laos Vietnam 26: 102 (1992). Fig. 1–2 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 .

Type:— Vietnam [Indo-China], Tonkin, route de Vinh Yen au 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 dongxingensis H.S.Kiu, Guihaia View in CoL 15: 111 (1995); H. S.Kiu & P. H. Weston, Fl. China 5: 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 mm in 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 cm in length; rachis and peduncle sparsely ferrugineo-pilose; peduncle of flower pair 0–2 mm long; bract of flower pair triangular, ca. 1 mm. Pedicel sparsely ferrugineo-pilose, 1–6 mm long; receptacle erect, 0.8–1.5 mm wide; floral bract lanceolate to filiform, ca. 0.8 mm; perianth tube 4-lobed, 1.5–4 cm in 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 cm long 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 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, 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 mm thick; 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 dongxingensis was under “VU (Vulnerable), A2c” in China’s Red List of Biodiversity: Higher Plants (2020). For an assessment of H. cauliflora in 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 cauliflora is 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 Liu et al. 221 ( JJF [image!] JJF 00045230 About JJF ) GoogleMaps ; Nasuo Town, Lanshan Erta [ ÎƜ 二塔]. 440 m, 108.0378° E, 21.7569° N, 22 June 2021 (st.), Yonggang Liu et al. 1502|4 ( PE! Sheet No. 2771802) GoogleMaps ; Nasuo Town, Nasuo Village [ ãūť], Meizaitian [ 妹仔 H], 180 m, 21.7491° N, 108.099996° E, 13 January 2021 (fr.), Yonggang Liu et al. 243|5 GoogleMaps ; Nasuo Town, Shangyuegou [ 上ėŝ], Siyan Road [ Ŀân], 370 m, 21.764208° N, 108.08525° E, 29 June 2021 (fl.), H. N. Qin et al. 1578|4 ( PE! Sheet No. 2771801) GoogleMaps ; 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. Ma 2304 ( BAZI! 001611 to 001618) GoogleMaps ; Fangchenggang City, Mt. Shiwandashan [ 十万大Ɯ], Pingwang Township , Vicinity of Shaping Village [ ŭṿť], 12 February 1944 (fr.), S. H. Chun 4837 ( 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. Chun 4553 ( IBSC! 0206122) ;

VIETNAM. B ắc Ninh: B ắc Giang, SƠn Động, Tu ấn M ậu, 12 April 2013 (fl.), N. T. Cuong and D.D. Cuong VN 2357 ( HN!). Phú Th ọ: locality unclear, Nov 1964 (fr.), s.col. 1704 ( HNU!). Qu ảng Ninh: Tiên Yên, Kau Nga Shan , and Vicinity , 13–22 December 1936 (fr.), W. T. Tsang 27386 ( A!; IBSC! 0205809; IBK! IBK00386384 About IBK ; 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 Swenson et. al. 1542, ( S [image!], Herb. No. S14-26136 ; P [image!] P00910975 ). Tam Đ ảo, 30 May 1977 (fl.), Vũ xuân PHƯƠng 164 ( HN!) GoogleMaps ; ibid., 3 August 1976 (fr.), LX-VN 983 ( HN!) GoogleMaps ; ibid., s. ann. (fl.), Eberhardt 4967 ( P [image!] P02309918 ) GoogleMaps .