四川木莲 si chuan mu lian

Magnolia figlarii V. S. Kumar (2006), not M. szechuanica (Dandy) Figlar (2000).

Trees, to 20 m tall, to 60 cm d.b.h. Older twigs grayish yellow; young twigs green, densely villous, hairs gradually deciduous, only residual at nodes. Stipular scar 4-6(-9) cm. Petiole 1.5-2.5 cm, white villous; leaf blade narrowly obovate to obovate, 11-20 × 3-6 cm, lower ca. 1/3 tapered, abaxially pale green and pale brown pubescent, adaxially deep green and glabrous, midvein white villous, secondary veins 13-16 on each side, reticulate veins sparse and prominent on both surfaces when dry, base cuneate, apex acuminate to shortly caudate. Flower buds ovoid; bract scar 1, 3-6 mm basal to tepals. Tepals 9, purplish red; outer 3 tepals pale green and usually flushed purplish, obovate, 5.5-6.5 × ca. 3 cm, sparsely villous; middle and inner tepals purplish red, 4-5.5 × 2.5-3 cm but inner ones smaller. Stamens 1.2-2 cm; filaments deep red, ca. 1 mm; connective exserted and forming a ca. 1 mm triangular mucro; anthers ca. 1 cm, introrse. Gynoecium ovoid-ellipsoid, 2-2.5 cm; carpels pale green, narrowly ellipsoid, 0.8-1 cm, densely shortly brown tomentose; styles pale red, ca. 3 mm. Fruit ovoid, 8-10 cm. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Aug-Sep.

● Evergreen broad-leaved forests; 1300-2000 m. C and S Sichuan, N Yunnan.