Reinstatement of the independent specific status of Camellia angustifolia, a tea plant (Camellia sect. Thea, Theaceae) from Guangxi, China

Camellia angustifolia Hung T. Chang was published in 1981 and was treated as a synonym of C. sinensis var. pubilimba in 1992. Field investigation and herbarium research have revealed remarkable morphological differences between C. angustifolia and C. sinensis var. pubilimba. Evidence from morphology—particularly the variations in indumentum on young branches, leaves, and flowers, the size of the sepals, and the thickness of the pericarp—suggests that C. angustifolia should not be reduced to C. sinensis var. pubilimba. We hereby reinstate the independent specific status of C. angustifolia . A detailed description, including the flower morphology of C. angustifolia , is provided. In addition, the incorrect information regarding the type specimen in the protologue of C. angustifolia has been rectified.