Luchuan Star Anise

Luchuan Star Anise

　　Star Anise

An economic plant. It belongs to the genus Illicium of the family Illiciaceae, order Magnoliales, class Dicotyledoneae. It is mainly produced in Guangxi, Yunnan, southern Fujian, and western Guangdong. A tree species, its leaves are leathery or thickly leathery, obovate-elliptic or oblanceolate, with dark green, glossy surfaces that reveal numerous tiny oil dots when viewed against sunlight. The flowers are pink or deep red, with inconspicuous translucent glandular dots. The aggregate fruit is mostly octagonal, rarely pentagonal or hexagonal. The follicles are plump and straight, with blunt or obtusely pointed tips, and the seeds are brown and glossy. The fruit is used as a flavoring spice, while the leaves and fruits can be distilled to produce aromatic oil, known as star anise oil, which is used in the food industry for making sweet-flavored wines, beers, and other products, as well as in the production of toothpaste, soaps, perfumes, and cosmetics. It is also a raw material for synthesizing the estrogen hexestrol. Additionally, it is used in the crystal mining industry. China’s star anise exports account for over 80% of the global market. The wood of the star anise tree is reddish-brown, with straight grain, fine texture, light and soft quality, a fragrant aroma, and resistance to pests. It is used for making furniture, packing cases, toys, and fine woodworking. Except for cultivated star anise, the fruits of other wild varieties are mostly highly toxic and can cause death if mistakenly consumed.

Hengshan Township is located in the western part of Luchuan County, bordering Bobai County to the west, with a total area of 192 square kilometers. It has 1,616 hectares of arable land, including 1,400 hectares of paddy fields and 216 hectares of sloping land, along with 4,900 hectares of forested area. The township administers 11 administrative villages, with a total population of 42,808, including 20,818 laborers. In 1999, the township’s fiscal revenue was 3.26 million yuan, with an average per capita rural income of 2,535.3 yuan. It is projected that in 2000, the township’s fiscal revenue will reach 3.4 million yuan, and the average per capita rural income will be 2,735 yuan.

　　The township is a mountainous area primarily focused on developing a forestry-based economy. In recent years, large areas have been planted with star anise, now covering more than 40,000 mu, which is expected to yield substantial production in two years. The main enterprises in the township are ceramics manufacturers, producing over 20 million pieces of daily-use ceramics annually, with an output value exceeding 10 million yuan.