Semiliquidambar cathayensis H. T. Chang

The roots are used for the treatment of rheumatism.

Trees 15–20 m tall, trunk ca. 60 cm in diam.; bark gray; branches dark brown, glabrous, older growth gray, lenticellate; buds narrowly ovoid, sparsely pubescent. Leaves dimorphic; petiole stout, 1.7–4 cm, glabrous; entire leaves: blade elliptic, ovate-elliptic, oblong, ovate-oblong, 5–13 × 3–6 cm, leathery, discolorous, abaxially glabrous, base cuneate, broadly cuneate or slightly rounded, somewhat asymmetrical, margin serrulate, apex acute or acuminate; lobed leaves: blade palmately 3-lobed, central lobe 3–5 cm, lateral lobes ascending, ovate-triangular, 2–2.5 cm, margin glandular-serrate, base rounded or truncate, lateral veins 4 or 8 on each side. Male inflorescences ca. 6 cm. Female inflorescence solitary; peduncle ca. 4.5 cm, glabrous. Male flowers: anthers ca. 1.2 mm, apex emarginate. Female flowers: staminode teeth needlelike, 2–5 mm, pubescent; styles 6–8 mm, pubescent. Infructescence globose, ca. 2.5 cm wide. Capsules 22–28, with upper halves exserted from infructescence, apex mucronate; persistent staminode teeth 2–4 mm; persistent styles 3–6 mm. Fl. Mar–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

Fujian, Guangdong, N Guangxi, S Guizhou, Hainan, S Jiangxi.

Forests; ca. 1000 m.

Altingia chingii Metcalfe var. parvifolia Chun; Semiliquidambar cathayensis var. fukienensis H. T. Chang; S. cathayensis var. parvifolia (Chun) H. T. Chang; S. coriacea H. T. Chang.