New plant species discovered in Viet Nam

On February 25, Mr. Le Van Huong, Director of Phong Dien Nature Reserve, said the reserve had recently discovered and officially announced a new plant species. Accordingly, in 2025, during the implementation of biodiversity monitoring in accordance with Circular No. 53/2024/TT-BTNMT of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), Phong Dien Nature Reserve identified and collected a distinctive plant specimen.

Scientists confirmed the specimen's identity as a new species through analysis and morphological comparison. The species was named Nymphanthus vietnamensis (Diep ha chau Viet Nam) and has been published in the prestigious international scientific journal Phytotaxa.

"The discovery and announcement of Diep ha chau Viet Nam not only adds to the data on Viet Nam’s flora but also affirms the outstanding biodiversity value of Phong Dien Nature Reserve. This area still harbors many potential biodiversity values, with rare fauna and flora that have yet to be fully discovered and comprehensively studied," Mr. Huong said.

In August 2025, the Hue City People's Committee issued a decision to establish Phong Dien Nature Reserve. The reserve is located mainly in Phong Dien ward and partly in A Luoi 1 and A Luoi 5 communes, with a total area of 40,760.47 hectares.

Phong Dien Nature Reserve aims to protect, maintain, and develop lowland natural forest ecosystems in the Central Truong Son region, playing an important role in the headwater protection forest system and contributing to maintaining water sources for major rivers in Hue City.

The reserve will also safeguard biodiversity, with a focus on rare fauna and flora such as the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis), Truong Son muntjac (Muntiacus truongsonenis), yellow-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae), red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), pygmy slow loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus), and Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus).

In addition, establishing the reserve aims to develop forest environmental services, enhance carbon sequestration, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby promoting green growth and increasing the value of forest ecosystems.