Trà hoa trái mỏng (Camellia pleurocarpa) in Pù Luông Nature Reserve. — VNA/VNS Photo

THANH HÓA — The management board of the Pù Luông Nature Reserve in the north-central province Thanh Hóa, has launched a project to preserve three precious and rare plant species – trai lý (Garcinia fagraeoides A. Chev.), đỉnh tùng (Cephalotaxus mannii Hook. f.), and trà hoa trái mỏng (Camellia pleurocarpa) in the area.

It reported that it has discovered 130 trai lý trees, 25 đỉnh tùng trees and 120 trà hoa trái mỏng trees in Pù Luông forests.

Director of the reserve Lê Đình Phương said that it has made a survey along 217km of 47 forest lines to explore the distribution and threats to these species.

Meanwhile, it has fully researched the biological and ecological characteristics of these floras, and built 12 monitoring lines and 30 standard plots to monitor them in the buffer zone and core area of the reserve, he said, adding that the reserve has also taken measures to improve locals and forest rangers’ capacity to recognise these plants, thus encouraging them to engage in the protection of the rare species.

To date, 200 trai lý trees, 150 đỉnh tùng trees and 200 trà hoa trái mỏng trees have been planted in a 0.83-hectare special-use forest of the reserve.

Trai lý, with full-grown 35m height, round and straight trunk, is a precious wood often used in shipbuilding and carving. This flora often grows in China. In Việt Nam, it has been found in Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, Nghệ An and Thanh Hóa provinces.

Đỉnh tùng has a height of 2-20 metres and cylindrical trunk. The wood is used in construction and high-end wooden furniture production. This species often grows in India, China, Myanmar, and Thailand. In Việt Nam, it often grows in Thanh Hóa, Sơn La, Hà Giang and Cao Bằng provinces.

Meanwhile, trà hoa trái mỏng is a rare medicinal plant. It is found Thailand. In Việt Nam, the flora has been discovered in Thanh Hóa and Gia Lai. — VNS