山玉兰 shan yu lan

Basionym: Magnolia delavayi Franchet, Pl. Delavay. 1: 33. 1889; M. carpunii M. S. Romanov & A. V. Bobrov.

Trees, to 12 m tall, to 80 cm d.b.h. Bark gray to grayish black, coarse and fissured. Old twigs thick and strong, dotted with lenticels; young twigs olive green, pale yellowish brown pubescent. Stipular scar nearly reaching apex of petiole. Petiole 5-7(-10) cm, densely villous; leaf blade ovate to ovate-oblong, 10-20(-32) × 5-10(-20) cm, leathery, abaxially densely interwoven tomentose and white powdery but later only with residual trichomes on veins, adaxially covered with curved long trichomes at first but later glabrescent, midvein flat to impressed and with residual trichomes, secondary veins 11-16 on each side of midvein, reticulate veins dense and prominent on both surfaces when dry, base broadly rounded to sometimes slightly cordate, margin wavy, apex obtuse to rarely emarginate. Peduncle erect, 3-4 cm. Flowers fragrant, cupular, 15-20 cm in diam. Tepals 9 or 10; tepals of outer whorl pale green, oblong, 6-8(-10) × 2-3(-4) cm, margin revolute; tepals of inner 2 whorls milky white or red, obovate-spoon-shaped, 8-11 × 2.5-3.5 cm; tepals of inner whorl narrower. Stamens ca. 210, 1.8-2.5 cm; connective exserted and forming a sharp triangular tip; anthers divergent. Gynoecium ovoid, 3-4 cm, finely yellow villous, apex acute; carpels ca. 100. Fruit ovoid-ellipsoid, 9-15(-20) cm; mature carpels narrowly ellipsoid, finely yellow villous, completely dehiscing along dorsal suture, apical beak reflexed. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 38*.

● Forests, limestone areas, wet slopes; 1500-2800 m. Guizhou, S Sichuan, Yunnan.

This species is grown as an ornamental.