Neocinnamomum citratum C. Y. Deng, Bing Liu & Wei L. Lin 2026, sp. nov.

Neocinnamomum citratum C. Y. Deng, Bing Liu & Wei L. Lin sp. nov. Figs 2, 3, 4 Type. China. Guizhou Province • Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Xingyi City, Wanfenglin, Wanfu Village; alt. ca. 1178 m elev.; 17 Dec 2024; fruit; Bing Liu, Wei-Lan Lin, Zhi Yang & Chao-Yi Deng 17921 (holotype: PE!; isotypes: PE!). Diagnosis. This new species is close to N. lecomtei but differs from sparsely white sericeous leaf blade on abaxial surface when young and glabrous when mature (vs. densely rusty pubescent on both surfaces when young and abaxially when mature) and oblate to globose fruits (vs. ellipsoid fruits), as well as its strong lemon fragrance of branches, leaves, and bark (vs. faint fragrance in the latter species). Description. Trees, 4.5–20 m tall. Bark yellowish brown, old bark gray. Branchlets terete, rusty, or white pubescent initially but soon glabrous. Leaves alternate. Petiole 0.6–1.4 cm long, rusty, or white tomentose when young. Leaf blade papyraceous, narrowly ovate to ovate, 3.5–13 × 1.5–5.3 cm, apex acuminate, base acuminate to obtuse; sparsely white sericeous on abaxial surface when young and glabrous on both surfaces when mature, abaxially white farinose, trinerved, secondary lateral veins inconspicuous, veinlets densely reticulate. Inflorescences cymules, axillary, rarely terminal, with 2 to more than ten flowers, peduncle 0.2–4 mm long, pedicels 0.5–1.0 cm long, peduncle and pedicels rusty pubescent. Bracts subulate, 1.5 mm long, densely rusty puberulent. Flowers bisexual, yellowish green, ca. 4 mm in diam. Perianth lobes 6, subequal, triangular-ovate, ca. 1.2–1.5 mm long, densely rusty puberulent outside and inside. Fertile stamens 9, ca. 1 mm long, rusty puberulent; filaments as long as anthers, those of 3 rd whorl each with 2 glands, others glandless; those of 1 st and 2 nd whorls each with 2 introrse cells and 2 lateral cells, 4 oval cells arranged in an almost transverse series; those of 3 rd whorl each with 2 extrorse cells and 2 lateral cells. Staminodes ovoid, ca. 0.4 mm long, nearly estipitate. Ovary ellipsoid-ovoid, ca. 0.8 mm long. Style short, stigma discoid. Fruit oblate to globose, 1.5–2 × 1.5–3 cm, red when mature. Perianth cup in fruit crateriform, 0.6–1 cm wide on top; perianth lobes in fruit persistent. Distribution. Southwestern China (Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan) (Fig. 5, blue triangles). Habitat. This species occurs in evergreen forests of limestone mountains with an altitudinal range of 1000 to 1300 m. It blooms in May and June, and the fruits are mature during September and December. Etymology. The specific epithet “ citratum ” refers to the strong lemon fragrance of the branches, leaves, and bark of this species. Additional specimens examined (paratypes). CHINA. Guangxi Province • Napo County, Baidu, Nonghua, Nongbu; 16 May 2025; flower; Bing Liu, Wei-Lan Lin, Zhi-Yong Tang 18531 (PE!, KUN!, CSH!), 18535 (PE!). Guizhou Province • Anlong County, Dewo, Tingxi; 18 Sep 1991; fruit; Chao-Yi Deng 50462 (KUN!); • Anlong County, Dewo, Dewo Village; 28 April 2025; flower; Chao-Yi Deng 20250428001 (XIN!); • Xingyi City, Wanfenglin, Wanfu Village; 11 May 2025; flower; Chao-Yi Deng 20250511001 (XIN!, PE!, KUN!); • Anlong County, Panlong, Yangjiawan; 13 May 2025; cultivated, flower; Bing Liu, Wei-Lan Lin, Zhi-Yong Tang 18456 (PE!). Yunnan Province • Malipo County, Babu, Nadeng, Danong; 14 Oct 2010; fruit; Bing Liu 1175 (PE!); • Malipo County, Babu, Nadeng, Danong; 15 Dec 2024; fruit; Bing Liu, Wei-Lan Lin, Zhi Yang, Chao-Yi Deng 17901 (PE!, KUN!, CSH!); • Malipo County, Babu, Nadeng, Danong; 18 May 2025; flower; Bing Liu, Wei-Lan Lin, Zhi-Yong Tang 18563 (PE!, KUN!, CSH!), 18565 (PE!, CSH!), 18567 (PE!). Uses. The branches, leaves, and bark of Neocinnamomum citratum have a strong lemon fragrance. Therefore, its leaves and branches are collected by the local people in Malipo County and used as spices for cooking. Conservation. There are five populations with more than 100 individuals. Based on IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2024), the new species is categorized as “ Not Threatened ” (NT Blab (v) + D). Notes. The new species has a strong lemon fragrance in its branches, leaves, and bark, whereas other species of Neocinnamomum have only a faint fragrance. The rusty pubescence on the branchlets and the sparsely white sericeous pubescence on the abaxial surface of the leaf blade when young, becoming glabrous when mature, distinguish it from N. caudatum, N. fargesii, N. macrocarpum, and N. mekongense, which are nearly glabrous, as well as from N. delavayi and N. lecomtei, which are densely pubescent on both leaf surfaces when young and abaxially when mature. The oblate to globose fruits also distinguish this species from the ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid fruits of N. caudatum and N. lecomtei and from the ovoid to ellipsoid-ovoid fruits of N. fargesii, N. delavayi, N. macrocarpum, and N. mekongense (Table 1).