台湾八角 tai wan ba jiao

Trees to 15 m tall. Perules oblong, to 3 mm. Leaves in clusters of 3-5 at distal nodes; petiole 0.8-1.7 cm; leaf blade narrowly oblong, lanceolate, or obovate-elliptic, 6-12 × 2-4.5 cm, thinly leathery to leathery, midvein adaxially impressed, secondary veins 5-8 on each side of midvein, abaxially slightly prominent, and adaxially flat or slightly prominent, base cuneate, apex acuminate. Flowers axillary or subterminal. Flower peduncle 0.5-2.2 cm. Tepals 14-21, red to pale red, obovate-oblong (largest), 8-12 × 5-9 mm (largest), papery to fleshy. Stamens 39-41, 2-3 mm; filaments 1.2-1.7 mm; connectives truncate and slightly emarginate; anthers 1-1.5 mm; pollen grains trisyncolpate. Carpels 12-16, 2-3.8 mm; ovary 1-1.8 mm; style 1-2 mm. Fruit peduncle 1.5-3 cm. Fruit with (10-)12-14 follicles; follicles 15-18 × 6-7 × 3-4 mm. Seeds 6-9 × 4.5-6 × 1.5-2 mm. Fl. Jan-Apr, fr. Oct.

● Broad-leaved forests; 300-2500 m. Taiwan.

The fruit are poisonous.