About Bretschneidera sinensis Hemsl.
Bretschneidera sinensis Hemsl. is the only species in the genus Bretschneidera, making the genus a monotypic group. This rare tree grows 10–20 metres (33–66 ft) tall and produces large inflorescences. It is native to southern and eastern China, Taiwan, northern Thailand, and northern Vietnam, and is currently threatened by habitat loss. Since it was only discovered relatively recently in Taiwan and Thailand, it may also occur in Laos and northern Myanmar. The species was named to honor Emil Bretschneider. In Thailand, it is called Chompoo Phu Kha (Thai: ชมพูภูคา), and it grows only in Doi Phu Kha National Park on the Luang Prabang Range, where it flowers in February and March. The taxonomic placement of the genus Bretschneidera has long been unclear, and the genus is often placed in its own exclusive family, Bretschneideraceae. B. sinensis has an outcrossing, insect-pollinated (entomophilous) breeding system characterized by protogyny and a high pollen-ovule ratio. It is pollinated by a wide range of insects, with Hymenoptera being the main pollinator group. Low fruit production, habitat destruction, low numbers of flowering individuals, and low pollen transfer efficacy all contribute to the species ongoing endangered status.
