Daphniphyllum calycinum is a species of shrubby plant in the family Daphniphyllaceae. It is found in northern Vietnam and southeastern China. It is used in biodiesel and in lubrication, soap-making and Chinese medicine.
| Daphniphyllum calycinum | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Daphniphyllaceae |
| Genus: | Daphniphyllum |
| Species: | D. calycinum
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| Binomial name | |
| Daphniphyllum calycinum | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Taxonomy
editThe species is in section Lunata of Daphniphyllum, along with D. griffithianum and D. majus.[3]
"[T]he premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century", George Bentham (1800–84), English, described this plant in 1861 in his publication Flora Hongkongensis; a description of the flowering plants and ferns of the island of Hongkong[4][5]
Description
editThis species grows as a shrub some 1-5-4m tall. The grayish-brown branches are sparsely lenticillate. The petioles are some 4 to 8 cm long. The obovate to obovate-elliptic leaf blades are 12–16 by 4–9 cm in size, they are chartaceous, glaucous/hairy and are inconspicuously papillate on lower surface; broadly cuneate leaf base, slightly reflexed margins and obtuse to rounded apex, mucronate; 8-11 pairs of later veins are visible on upper surface, prominent on lower. Male flowers have an 8–10 cm pedicel and a discoid calyx with 3 or 4 broadly triangular lobes, 9 or 10 stamens some 3 mm long with very short filaments, oblong laterally-compressed anthers, connective exserted. Female flowers have a 5–6 mm pedicel, broadly-triangular calyx-loves about 1.5mm in size, ellipsoidal ovary 1.5–2 mm in size, very short style, 2 recurved stigmas. The Infructescence/fruiting head is some 4–5 cm in size, densely arranged with ovoid-ellipsoidal, tubercalate[check spelling], glaucous drupes some 7 by 4 mm in size, with persistent calyx and style branches. Flowering occurs from April to June, while fruiting is from August to November.[6]
Distinguishing characteristics of this species are: the size (9–16 by 4–9 cm) and shape (obovate to obovate-elliptic) of the leaf blade, the obtuse to rounded apex; and size (about 7 mm), dense arrangement and glaucousness of the fruit.[7]
Distribution
editThe plant is native to an area from northern Vietnam to southeastern Zhōngguó/China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, south Hunan, south Jiangxi).[2][6]
Habitat and ecology
editThe shrub grows in forests and thickets at altitudes of occasionally below 100m but mainly 200-700m.[6]
Daphniphyllum calycinum is present on the degraded hillside shrublands of Hong Kong, it is common there in scrubland and forest edges.[8][9] Birds disperse the dry-season fruiting seeds.
The follicular micromycete, or sac-fungi, Mycosphaerella fasciculata, in the Mycosphaerellaceae family, uses this species as a host.[10]
Conservation
editWhile this species has a very wide distribution with a large population, and it there are no current major or future significant threats identified, like most plant and ecosystems it is a continuing decline in area, extent and/or quality of habitat, and so is of conservation concern.[1]
Vernacular names
editUses
editThe seeds provide abundant oil that was used in lubrication and to make refined soap, however recently because of its toxicity it is only used in biodiesel.[6][11] Roots and leaves are used within Chinese medicine. The plant has many alkaloids and other active ingredients, see for example Wu et al., 2013.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b Wu, J.; Qin, h.; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Daphniphyllum calycinum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T147379344A147619324. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T147379344A147619324.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Daphniphyllum calycinum Benth". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Tang, M.-S.; Yang, Y.-P.; Sheue, C.-R. (2009). "Comparative morphology on leaves of Daphniphyllum (Daphniphyllaceae)". Blumea. 54: 63–8. doi:10.3767/000651909X474104.
- ^ "Daphniphyllum calycinum Benth., Fl. Hongk. 316 (1861)". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Bentham, George (1861). Flora Hongkongensis; a description of the flowering plants and ferns of the island of Hongkong. Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London: Lovell Reeve. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Min, Tianlu; Kubitzki, Klaus. "FOC: Family List: FOC Vol. 11: Daphniphyllaceae: Daphniphyllum: 7. Daphniphyllum calycinum Bentham, Fl. Hongk. 316. 1861". Flora of China. eFloras.org. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Min, Tianlu; Kubitzki, Klaus. "FOC: Family List: FOC Vol. 11: Daphniphyllaceae: 1. Daphniphyllum Blume, Bijdr. 13: 1152. 1826". Flora of China. eFloras.org. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Hau, Billy C.H.; Corlett, Richard T. (2002). "A survey of trees and shrubs on degraded hillsides in Hong Kong". Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society. 25: 84–94. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Hau, Billy C.H.; So, Ken K.Y. (2003). 17 Using native tree species to restore degraded hillsides in Hong Kong, China. pp. 179–90. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Braun, Uwe; Hönig, Lydia; Schwaß, Rowena (2016). "New records of foliicolous micromycetes from the Chinese Jiangxi Province". Schlechtendalia. 30: 1–7. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Wu, Haifeng; and five others (2013). "Daphniphyllum Alkaloids: Recent Findings on Chemistry and Pharmacology" (PDF). Planta Med. 79 (17): 1589–1598. doi:10.1055/s-0033-1351024. PMID 24214836. Retrieved 6 March 2021.