南山茶 nan shan cha

Trees, 7-15 m tall. Young branches grayish brown; current year branchlets purplish brown, thick, glabrous. Petiole 1-1.5 cm, glabrous, adaxially grooved; leaf blade elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 9-15 × 4-7(-9) cm, rigidly leathery, abaxially pale green and becoming pale brown when dry, adaxially dark green, both surfaces glabrous, midvein yellow, thick, abaxially elevated, and adaxially level or slightly raised, secondary veins 6-9 on each side of midvein, abaxially raised, and adaxially slightly raised, base broadly cuneate to obtuse, margin entire on basal 1/2 and serrate on apical 1/2, apex shortly caudate to caudate and with an obtuse tip. Flowers axillary or subterminal, solitary or paired, 6-8 cm in diam., subsessile. Bracteoles and sepals 9-11 or more; outer 3-5 bracteoles and sepals ± persistent, lunate to semiorbicular, 3-6 mm; inner bracteoles and sepals orbicular to broadly obovate, 1.5-2 cm, thickly leathery, glabrous or grayish white velutinous but glabrescent, margin membranous and ciliolate. Petals 6-8, rose or rarely white, broadly obovate, 4-6 × 3.5-4 cm, apex emarginate; outer 2 or 3 petals almost distinct; inner petals basally connate for 6-8 mm. Stamens 2.5-3.5 cm, glabrous; outer filament whorl basally connate for 1.5-2.5 cm. Ovary ovoid, 3-4 mm in diam., basally pale yellow tomentose or subglabrous, apically glabrous, 3-5-loculed; style 2.5-3 cm, glabrous, apically 3-5-parted. Capsule ovoid, 6-8(-12) × 5-6(-12) cm, 3-5-loculed with 1-3(-5) seeds per locule; pericarp 1-1.5 cm thick, woody. Seeds brown, 1.5-2 × 1.5-2 cm, yellow pilose. Fl. Jan-Mar, fr. Sep-Oct. 2n = 30*.

● Forests, forests along river valleys; 200-800 m. Guangdong, E and N Guangxi.