Chinese toon

Chinese toon

　　A deciduous tree that can grow up to 15 meters tall. The bark is dark brown and peels off in flakes; young branches are covered with soft hairs. It has even-pinnate compound leaves that are 25–50 cm long and emit a distinctive fragrance; there are 10–22 leaflets that are opposite, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 8–15 cm long, hairless or with long tufts of hair in the vein axils on the underside. It bears terminal panicles; the flowers are fragrant; the calyx is small; the petals are white and ovate-oblong; there are 5 staminodes that are alternate with the fertile stamens. The capsule is ovoid, 1.5–2.5 cm long; the seeds are elliptical, with one end having a membranous long wing. The flowering period is May–June, and the fruiting period is August.

　　It is cultivated in various regions, mostly planted along village roadsides; it is distributed from North China to the southwestern provinces.

　　The tender shoots are edible. The wood has a fine grain and is used for shipbuilding and construction. Sawdust and roots can be used to extract aromatic oil, which is used abroad as a flavoring agent for cigars. The seeds can be pressed for oil, with an oil content of 38.5%. The root bark and fruit are used medicinally, with effects such as astringency, hemostasis, dehumidification, and pain relief. The bark contains toosendanin, toosendan alcohol, and tannins; the leaves contain carotene, vitamin B, and vitamin C.