''Bretschneidera sinensis'', the sole species in genus ''Bretschneidera'', is a rare, tall a monotypic species of tree with large inflorescences. It is found in south and east of China,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

, northern

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

and northern

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

. Because of its relatively recent discovery in Taiwan and Thailand, it is possible that it could also be found in Laos and northern Myanmar. It was named in honor of

Emil Bretschneider Emil Bretschneider ( in Bankaushof (now Benkavas muiža, Saldus novads, Latvia) – in Saint Petersburg) was a sinologist of Baltic German ethnicity and a correspondent member of the Académie française. He operated in the Russian Empire. ...

. In Thailand it is known as ''Chompoo Phu Kha'' ( th, ชมพูภูคา) and is found only in

Doi Phu Kha National Park Doi Phu Kha National Park ( th, อุทยานแห่งชาติดอยภูคา) covers a part of 8 districts in the Luang Prabang Range, Nan Province, Northern Thailand and has rich natural resources. It is Northern Thailand's l ...

on the

Luang Prabang Range The Luang Prabang Range ( th, ทิวเขาหลวงพระบาง, ), named after Luang Prabang, is a mountain range straddling northwestern Laos and Northern Thailand. Most of the range is located in Sainyabuli Province (Laos), a ...

where it flowers in February and March.“Doi Phu Kha National Park, Nan”
/ref> The taxonomic position of genus ''Bretschneidera'' is enigmatic, and it has also been placed in its own family, Bretschneideraceae.

Reproduction

B. sinensis has an outcrossing

entomophily Entomophily or insect pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen of plants, especially but not only of flowering plants, is distributed by insects. Flowers pollinated by insects typically advertise themselves with bright colours, some ...

breeding system with protogyny and a high P/O ratio, and is pollinated by a variety of insects, with the main pollinators belonging to Hymenoptera. low fruit production, habitat destruction, low numbers of flowering individuals, and low pollen transfer efficacy are leading to the continued endangerment of the species.

References

Monotypic Brassicales genera Akaniaceae Endangered plants Trees of China Trees of Taiwan Trees of Thailand Flora of Vietnam Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Brassicales-stub