Described by Makino (1913), accepted by Jonker (1938), Govaerts et al. (2007), Hsu et al. (2005), Wu et al. (2010) and Nuraliev et al. (2022). It occurs from southern China (Yunnan, Hainan) to the southern Islands of Japan (Ryukyu Islands). Later it was also found in Vietnam (Nuraliev et al. 2022).
According to Jonker (1938) a Burmannia wallichii recorded by Merrill and Chun (1935) is in fact B. itoana.
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