Huidong azalea

Scientists and experts recently classified a kind of azalea growing only in Huidong county of Sichuan province as a new species, Chengdu Economic Daily reported on Wednesday. Only 200 of such azalea exist in the world. Now the local government is planning to establish specialized reserve for the specie in order to better protect it.

The species is named Huidong azalea after field investigation by five scientists from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAC). Huidong azalea grows on the mountainous area with attitude ranging from 2,800 to 3,200 meters. The 2.5-meter plant has a florescence of five to six months.

Only 200 Huidong azaleas are distributed within less than half a square kilometer, said Zhang Chao, senior engineer from West China Subalpine Botanical Garden of the Institute of Botany, CAC.

Experts studies the flower.

According to Geng Yuying, an expert from the CAC, Huidong azalea had attracted broad attention among azalea researchers in 1959. However a portion of the experts back then didn't approve its identity as a separate specie. Based on field investigation and study on its characters, now Huidong azalea is recognized as a new species by the researchers. Currently, authoritative experts from China and the UK have all confirmed its identity.

Zhang said, with extremely low autosynthesis capability, the 200 azaleas are likely to become extinct if not protected. In his eyes, Huidong azaleas are as valuable as pandas in terms of species protection.

Zhang suggested to establish specialized reserves for the plants and set up a gene pool for artificial breeding.

Now the local government has passed Zhang's suggestion and is making detailed conservation plans.