大花八角 da hua ba jiao

Shrubs or trees, to 8 m tall. Perules lanceolate, to 1 cm. Leaves in clusters of 2-4 at distal nodes; petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade oblong to obovate-elliptic, 8-13(-14) × 2.5-5.5(-6.5) cm, leathery, midvein adaxially impressed, secondary veins 7-12 on each side of midvein, abaxially slightly prominent near margin, and adaxially slightly impressed or flat, base narrowed to acute, apex acuminate. Flowers axillary or subterminal. Flower peduncle 6-10 mm. Tepals 27-32, white to slightly greenish, oblong (outer) to narrowly tonguelike (largest), 7-17 × 4-7 mm (outer), 1.5-2.5 cm × 2-4 mm (largest), 1.5-2.1 cm × 1-2.5 mm (inner), submembranous (outer) to membranous (middle). Stamens 21-26, 3.2-4.7 mm; filaments 1.3-2.5 mm; connectives cuspidate; anthers 1.5-2.5 mm; pollen grains tricolpate. Carpels 13 or 14, 4-5.5 mm; ovary 1.5-2 mm; style 2.5-3.5 mm. Fruit peduncle length unknown. Fruit with ca. 11 follicles; follicles 16-20 × 6-9 × 3-4 mm. Seed size unknown. Fl. Jan-Mar, fr. Jul-Nov.

● Forests, slopes; 1600-2800 m. S and W Yunnan.

The leaves, flowers, and fruit are very poisonous.