Vernicia is a genus in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, first described as a genus in 1790.[2][3] It is native to China, Japan, India, and Indochina.[1][4][5] The species have often been included within the related genus Aleurites.[6][7]

Vernicia
Vernicia fordii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily: Crotonoideae
Tribe: Aleuritideae
Subtribe: Aleuritinae
Genus: Vernicia
Lour.
Synonyms[1]
  • Dryandra Thunb. 1783, rejected name, not R.Br. 1810
  • Elaeococca Comm. ex A.Juss.

They are shrubs or trees growing to 20 m tall. The leaves are alternate, broad, and entire to palmately lobed; they may be either deciduous or evergreen. The flowers may be either monoecious or dioecious.[5]

Species[1]

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Image Fruit Scientific name Distribution
Vernicia cordata (Thunb.) Airy Shaw. southern Japan, naturalized in Angola and Nepal
    Vernicia fordii (Hemsl.) Airy Shaw. southern China, Myanmar, Vietnam, naturalized in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Taiwan, eastern Himalayas, New South Wales, California, Lesser Antilles, Paraguay, Argentina (tung oil tree)
    Vernicia montana Lour. southern China, Indochina; naturalized in Angola, Japan, Java, eastern Himalayas (mu oil tree)

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ Loureiro, João de. 1790. Flora Cochinchinensis 2: 541, 586–587 in Latin, highly abbreviated
  3. ^ Tropicos Vernicia Lour.
  4. ^ "Vernicia cordata". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b Flora of Thailand: Vernicia
  6. ^ Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae) 1-4: 1-1622. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  7. ^ Flora of China Vol. 11 Page 266 油桐属 you tong shu Vernicia Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 2: 586. 1790.