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
Aleurites vernicia
Aleurites cordata

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

  1. "Vernicia montana". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  2. 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.


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