Albizia sherriffii Baker f. (syn: Albizia vernayana Merr.);
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Bhutan (N); China (N):  Xizang Zizhiqu; Yunnan; India (N):  Arunachal Pradesh; Assam; Sikkim; Myanmar (N) as per ILDIS;
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Similar to A. julibrissin but tree 10-25m; leaf rachises 10-30cm with an oval gland 3mm near base and another smaller one near apex; pinnae 9-18 pairs, 6-10cm; leaflets 16-27 pairs oblong 5-9(-12) x 2-3(-4)mm, apex acute, upwardly curved, base truncate, sessile midrib closer to upper margin, dark green glabrous above, pale appressed pubescent beneath; heads 30-flowered, on simple peduncles 6-8cm in axillary clusters, sometimes in terminal panicles; calyx 5-6mm, brownish tomentose; corolla 10-12mm, whitish pubescentl; filaments 3-3.5cm, creamy white; pods thinly coriaceous, 12-15 x 1.5-2cm, 15-22-seeded.

Fl. April-June
Subtropical forests
(Attributions- A.C.J Grierson & D.G Long. Flora of Bhutan. Published by RBGE. 1987 from Bhutan Biodiversity Portal)
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Albizia sherriffii (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) : 3 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2)
Photographer: Mr. Santanu Dey

Botanical name: Albizia sherriffii Baker.f. (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae).
Location: Nagaland, India
Habit: Trees, 10 – 20 m high.
Habitat: In primary forests between 800 – 1200 m altitudes, ascending to 2000 m on the Himalayas (in subtropical forests).
Abundance: Rare.
Distribution: India (Sikkim, North-East India), Bhutan, Myanmar and China.

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Tree species Albizia:
Firstly, sorry to message out of the blue and I’m sorry to bother you also. I got your email address via EfloraofIndia. Hopefully, you are doing well.
I am busy with research regarding Albizia species. I am collecting Albizia kalkora seeds from different localities for conservation matters. In short, this species is being overwhelmed by the more vigorous A. julibrissin and outcrossing with kalkora, the hybrids are fertile and outcross also. (The invasiveness of julibrissin is rampant in the USA). Especially isolated places like Japan and Korea are at risk of eventually losing this species due to genetic dilution.
I am setting up an insurance colony for these localities, I got some from mainland China, Hopefully in November from Japan. I am also busy with Korea but that one is especially hard but the most isolated and endangered.
I am planning to DNA test for any genetic differences in the Bio-Informatica lab at Groningen, The Netherlands, I live here also. Besides that, I want to test the relationship between A. kalkora (and hybrids, we have 3 hybrids of julibrissinXkalkora), julibrissinA. lebbeck (and hopefully A. sherriffii as well with some help).
Now I stumbled across 
Albizia sherriffii Baker f. (syn. Albizia vernayana Merr.). From the research I did, it looks like its spread(Sikkim, India-Tibet-Bhutan?) is pretty isolated because of the mountain ranges. I suggest this species could encounter the same problems as A. kalkora, with A. kalkora and A. julibrissin being just as hardy it could infiltrate A. sherriffii its habitat and most likely outcross also. A. julibrissin is planted a lot for its tea properties and esthetics. It would be safe from the vigorous A. lebbeck because lebbeck is not tolerant of cold.
There is a lot unknown about both species A. kalkora and A. sherriffii and I would love to put sherriffii in the same test as well, to see how they all fit together, it is a pretty interesting species because it has some similarities with julibrissin as well. Also, because I am setting up an insurance colony for A. kalkora localities I would also like to do this for A. sherriffii as well.
Hopefully, you could offer me a helping hand. Any help is appreciated. Maybe you know something of the tree yourself, or have close contact with it, or have some contact of a botanical institute for me? (maybe an Index Seminum?) Hopefully, with your network you could help me further, it would be greatly appreciated! 


I would like to point out  that the type of the name Mimosa kalkora Roxb., the basionym of Albizia kalkora (Roxb.) Prain is not traceable. Therefore, unless the name is neotypified, and the characters elucidated, it continues to represent a plant of dubious identity. In this context, please also look at the attached short Note.
In view of this, I would suggest getting the samples of the supposed “Albizia kalkora” identified through an expert before going ahead with further studies.
Attachment: 1 pdf attached.


Thank you for the response! And thanks for the included document, very good to read! This also confirms some feelings I had.
Albizia kalkora (Roxb. Prain) is indeed what I am talking about. It is very hard to find out about things, especially in English as the species is so unknown here.
What we see and determine as Albizia kalkora (Roxb. Prain) is pretty basic and based on Korean research. 4(to 6 but we classifie it as doubtful hybrid than) pinnae and max. 12 (to 14 but we classifie it as doubtful hybrid than) leaflets per pinnae. Distinctly different as the note suggests, I see. Also, one distinct feature that looks dominant in hybrids is the smooth bark of A. julibrissin.
I have seen the similarities between  Albizia kalkora (Roxb. Prain) and Albizia odoratissima but when I google the name two distinct species show up, maybe synonyms? (one has the more round puffy orangy-white flowers). Either way the flowers look more like big tall clusters in odoratissima, is that correct?
We see the Albizia ‘coreana’ collected from Yudal mountain by the JC Raulston arboretum in America as a example of a pure Albizia kalkora. This Arboretum supports me in this search and we are trying to get some (pure) seeds from that specific mountain back again as we think this is the most cold locality with temperatures below -17 degrees celsius from hearsay.
Our concern about the species is the genetic dilution, hybrids are showing up everywhere. In November I should get some seeds from Japan, Miyazaki prefecture which hopefully are pure, these should be weaker in cold than the locality from Yudal mountain.
1 image:
A hybrid I owm with julibrissin and the tree in America(A. kalkora).
In Japan I believe some hybrids are even naturalized they call this group Albizia julibrissin f. Glabrior.
I am trying to figure out which region of China the A. kalkora (Robx. prain) are collected. But the plants look something like this:
1 image.
A little more pointer than the tree in America looks like. But in my experience with A. julibrissin, individuals can develop very distinctive traits. I believe this is the same in the whole genus, what makes research even harder I suppose.
We are trying to figure out a lot but it is hard for us, pardon me if there are some incorrect statements. I am trying to set up a breeding group with individuals with A. kalkora here in Holland because there hardly any risk of invasiveness due to our climate. Also, we can control pollinationa more. In America A. julibrissin is very invasive and is hard to control, our season is too short for seedlings to germinate and harden off before winter.
Do you perhaps have any insight in A. sherriffi? Would it be possible to have seeds collected someway? I would love to share some with the JC Raulston to investigate and learn from but also to set-up a secure breeding group here in The Netherlands. This is insurance group could be propagated and is also good for our understanding of the species. In Europe this is very unknown and in America people have a distaste for the genus because A. julibrissin is seen as a obnoxious weed, so there is not a lot of research there either.
Would like to know what you think of my A. kalkora ‘assumptions’ I suppose. And your stance on A. Sherriffii.
Thank you for your knowledge and time. Hopefully it is a interesting subject for you aswell.
It is greatly appreciated!


 


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References: Catalogue of Life  The Plant List Ver.1.1  ILDIS  GBIF (with type specimens) Flora of China  India Biodiversity Portal  NHM 1 (Specimen)  NHM 2 (Specimen) Bhutan Biodiversity Portal  FPCN

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