Pyrenaria microcarpa (Dunn) H. Keng

Shrubs or trees, 1-15 m tall. Young branches grayish brown; current year branchlets yellowish brown, pubescent, soon glabrescent. Petiole 4-13 mm, sparsely pubescent or glabrous; leaf blade elliptic, oblong-elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, (4-)8.5-13 × (1.5-)2.5-4.5 cm, leathery, abaxially sparsely appressed pubescent, adaxially glabrous, both surfaces yellow-green when dry, midvein abaxially elevated and adaxially impressed, secondary veins 8-12 on each side of midvein, secondary and reticulate veins visible on both surfaces, base cuneate, margin serrate, apex acuminate, acute, obtuse, or rounded. Flowers axillary, solitary, 2-2.5 cm in diam. Pedicel 1-2(-8) mm, pubescent; bracteoles 2, caducous, broadly ovate to lunate, ca. 2 × 3 mm, leathery, outside densely yellow sericeous, inside glabrous. Sepals 5-7, caducous, semiorbicular to reniform, unequal in size, 3-8 × 5-10 mm, leathery, outside densely yellow sericeous, inside glabrous, apex rounded. Petals 5-7, white or pale yellow, obovate, 1-1.5 × 1-1.3 cm, outside sericeous, basally slightly connate. Stamens numerous, 6-8 mm, glabrous; outer filament whorl basally adnate to petals. Ovary conic, densely sericeous; style 5-7 mm, glabrous. Capsule triangular-globose, ovoid, ellipsoid, or obovoid, 1.5-2 × 1-1.5 cm, 3-loculed with 3 seeds per locule, dehiscent from base; pericarp 1-1.5 mm thick when dry, sparsely sericeous. Seeds chestnut brown, compressed, oblong-ovate, 6-8 mm, shiny. Fl. Apr-Jul, fr. Aug-Nov. 2n = 30.

Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Vietnam].

Forests; 100-1000 m.

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Tutcheria virgata (syn. Pyrenaria microcarpa) is an evergreen plant in the genus Tutcheria of the family Theaceae.

Description

Tutcheria virgata is a shrub or medium-sized tree reaching a height of approximately 1–15 metres (3 ft 3 in – 49 ft 3 in). Leaves are dark green, leathery, elliptic, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, margin serrate, about 8–13 centimetres (3.1–5.1 in) long. Flowers are axillary, solitary, with five white petals, about 2–2.5 centimetres (0.79–0.98 in) in diameter. Fuits are ovoid or globose capsules about1.5–2 centimetres (0.59–0.79 in) long, with three chestnut brown seeds per locule. Flowering period extends from April through July, while the fruits ripe from August up to November.

Distribution and habitat

This plant is native to China and it is also present in Japan (Ryukyu Islands) and in Vietnam. It grows in mountain forests or along streams, at an elevation of about 300–1,000 metres (980–3,280 ft) above sea level.

References

• Zipcodezoo
• "Tutcheria virgata". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• Flora of China

Tutcheria virgata (syn. Pyrenaria microcarpa) is an evergreen plant in the genus Tutcheria of the family Theaceae.