大八角 da ba jiao

Badianifera major (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Kuntze; Glochidion cavaleriei H. Léveillé; Illicium cavaleriei (H. Léveillé) H. Léveillé; I. spathulatum Y. C. Wu.

Trees to 20 m tall. Perules oblong-elliptic, largest 1-2 cm. Leaves in clusters of 3-6 at distal nodes; petiole 1-2.5 cm; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 10-20 × 2.5-7 cm, subleathery, midvein adaxially slightly impressed, secondary veins 6-9 on each side of midvein, abaxially inconspicuous or slightly prominent, and adaxially flat or slightly prominent, base cuneate, apex acuminate. Flowers axillary or subterminal. Flower peduncle 1.8-4.5(-6) cm. Tepals 15-21, elliptic to obovate-oblong (inner), 6-15 × 3-9 mm (inner), fleshy. Stamens 12-21, 2.3-4.3 mm; filaments 1.1-2.8 mm; connectives truncate to slightly emarginate; anthers 1-1.5 mm; pollen grains trisyncolpate. Carpels (9-)11-14, 4-5.5 mm; ovary 1.5-2.5 mm; style 2-3 mm. Fruit peduncle 1.8-4.5(-6) cm. Fruit with 10-14 follicles; follicles 1.2-2.5 × 0.5-1.5 × 0.3-0.5 cm. Seeds 6-10 × 4.5-7 × 2-3 mm. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Jul-Oct.

Mixed forests, thickets, rocky slopes, along riverbanks; 300-2500 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan [S Myanmar, Vietnam].

The fruit and bark are poisonous.