Chinese Parasol Tree

Chinese Parasol Tree

　　Chinese Parasol Tree

　　A tree or shrub, 3–15 m tall; the bark is grayish-brown and nearly smooth; branchlets, petioles, and inflorescences are all densely covered with brown or yellowish-brown stellate tomentum. The leaves are alternate, often densely clustered and nearly whorled under the inflorescences, ovate, ovate-triangular, or rhombic, 5–15 cm long and 3–10 cm wide, with a long acuminate apex and a wedge-shaped or broadly wedge-shaped base, margins nearly entire or undulate, sometimes with two lobes or coarse teeth at the upper part; young leaves are densely covered with yellowish-brown or grayish-white stellate tomentum on both surfaces, while mature leaves are glabrous above; there are five basal veins, with three to four lateral veins on each side, and tertiary veins extending horizontally and parallel; near the base of the petiole there are two black glandular spots; the petiole is slightly peltately attached, 2–15 cm long.

　　The flowers are dioecious; the inflorescence is racemose or branched at the lower part, terminal. Male inflorescences are 10–20 cm long; bracteoles are ovate-lanceolate, about 2 mm long, with an acuminate apex; male flowers are clustered 2–6 per bract, with bisexual or spherical flower buds; pedicels are about 2 mm long; calyx lobes are 4–5, ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, densely covered with stellate tomentum on the outside; there are 50–60 stamens. Female inflorescences are 5–35 cm long; female flowers are 1–2 per bract; pedicels are about 1 mm long; calyx lobes are 4–5, oblong-ovate, 2–3 mm long, unequal in size, densely covered with stellate tomentum on the outside; the ovary is spherical, covered with stellate tomentum and prickles; there are three styles, slightly connate at the base, with stigmas 2–3 mm long and velvety on the back. The capsule is flattened-globose, with blunt three edges, 10–15 mm in diameter, densely covered with brown pubescence and prickles, the prickles being 4–6 mm long and also hairy; the seeds are nearly spherical, dark brown, and often wrinkled.

　　Flowering period: July to October; fruiting period: November to December.