| Vernicia montana | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| 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]
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.
It is native to Cambodia, South-Central and Southern China, Hainan, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
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.
Media related to Vernicia montana at Wikimedia Commons
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