Vernicia montana
| Vernicia montana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vernicia montana | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Crotonoideae |
| Tribe: | Aleuritideae |
| Genus: | Vernicia |
| Species: | V. montana |
| Binomial name | |
| Vernicia montana Lour. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aleurites montana | |
Vernicia montana, the mu oil tree,[1] is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam), southern China, and Taiwan. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height 20 metres (66 ft).[2]
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.
Cultivation and uses
Vernicia montana is grown mostly for the seeds from which varnish is made similar to the tung tree. The oil is prized as a wood finish. Preferring well drained, sandy soil 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.
References
- ↑ "Vernicia montana". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ↑ 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.
- Nguyen, Duong Van. Medicinal Plants of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Santa Monica, CA: Mekong, 1993.