<i>Microchirita bimaculata</i> (GESNERIACEAE), A NEWLY RECORDED SPECIES FOR THE FLORA OF VIETNAM

Plant specimens coded as Dung 051120221 at Hanoi (HN) Herbarium of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, were identified as Microchirita bimaculata (D. Wood) A. Weber & D. J. Middleton. This is a newly recorded species for the flora of Vietnam. The morphological comparison method is applied appropriately in the study. Microchirita in Vietnam includes 8 updated species: M. aratriformis (D. Wood) A. Weber & D. J. Middleton, M. bimaculata (D. Wood) A. Weber & D. J. Middleton, M. hamosa (R. Br.) Yin Z. Wang, M. involucrata (Craib) Yin Z. Wang, M. lavandulacea (Stapf) Yin Z. Wang, M. minor Z. B. Xin, T. V. Do & F. Wen, M. purpurea D. J. Middleton & Triboun, M. rupestris (Ridl.) A. Weber & D. J. Middleton. M. bimaculata is distinguished from the remaining 7 species by the characteristics of ”bracts absent; corolla yellow with a red-brown patch inside”. The identification key for species of the genus Microchirita currently known in Vietnam was established. M. bimaculata in Vietnam has been described in detail with accepted scientific name, synonym, morphological description, loc. class., typus, ecology, flower and fruit season, distribution, research sampling, images.