木麻黄 mu ma huang

Trees monoecious, to 35 m tall, not suckering from roots. Trunk straight, to 70 cm d.b.h.; crown conical; bark scaly, adaxially red-brown on old trees. Ultimate branchlets usually pendu-

lous, grayish green, 10-27 cm × 0.8-0.9 mm; articles (2.5-)4-9 mm. Leaves erect and appressed to branchlets, (6 or)7(or 8) per whorl, lanceolate or triangular, 1-3 mm. Male inflorescences 1-4 cm. Cones ellipsoid, 1.2-2.5 cm, grayish green or yellowish brown tomentose when young, glabrous at maturity, base and apex truncate to obtuse; apex of bracteoles slightly obtuse or acute. Samaras 5-8 mm including wing. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Jul-Oct. 2n = 18, 20*.

Cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia, Pacific Islands].

Only subsp. equisetifolia is cultivated in China. Used for timber and medicine, also for erosion control on coastal sands.