Vernicia montana
| Vernicia montana | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Spermatophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Vernicia |
| Species: | V. montana |
| Binomial name | |
| Vernicia montana | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Vernicia montana is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.[2][3] It is sometimes referred to by the common name mu oil tree,[4] or chine wood oil tree.[5]
Description
[edit]It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height 20 metres (66 ft).[6] The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.[7] The leaves are large with three lobes. The monoecious white-petaled flowers emerged as inflorescences, containing both male and female flowers. The 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) fruit is a globular drupe with wrinkled skin that turns from green to yellow upon ripening. Each fruit contains 3 seeds, rich in oil.
Distribution
[edit]It is native to Cambodia, South-Central and Southern China, Hainan, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
Cultivation and uses
[edit]Vernicia montana is grown mostly for the seeds from which a varnish is made similar to the tung tree. The oil is prized as a wood finish.[5] As the tree prefers well drained, sandy soils, the trees are grown on hillside plantations in northern Vietnam. In nature, V montana can be found at the margins of primary forests.
The wood is also harvested.
Gallery
[edit]
Glands and veins
Female flower
Male flower
In full bloom
Inflorescence
References
[edit]- ↑ Ye, J.F.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Vernicia montana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019 e.T147641444A147641446. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T147641444A147641446.en. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- 1 2 "Vernicia montana Lour". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ↑ "Vernicia montana Lour". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ↑ NRCS. "Vernicia montana". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- 1 2 Thomas McKeon, Douglas Hayes, David Hildebrand, Randall Weselake (Editors) Industrial Oil Crops, p. 243, at Google Books
- ↑ Bingtao Li & Michael G. Gilbert. "Vernicia montana". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ↑ Archibald William Smith A Gardener's Handbook of Plant Names: Their Meanings and Origins, p. 239, at Google Books
- Nguyen, Duong Van. Medicinal Plants of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Santa Monica, CA: Mekong, 1993.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Vernicia montana at Wikimedia Commons
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