Scientific Name : Reevesia thyrsoidea Lindl.
Common Name : Reevesia, Buch-like Reevesia
Chinese Name : 梭羅樹, 兩廣梭羅
Family : STERCULIACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species
| Origin | The provinces of South, Southeast and Central China, Vietnam and Cambodia. |
|---|---|
| Application |
The tree is seldomly valued for its foliage. However, when blossoms, the white flowers festoon the crown and render the tree an unexceptionally glamorous character. The flowers also serve as an important food source to a myriad of urban insects. Little insects assiduously fly among flowers for nectars while inject the urban jungle perceived vigour and vitality. The wood is hard and suitable for making furniture. The bark is strong and can be processed into ropes, gunny bags and paper-making materials. |
| Meanings of name | The generic name Reevesia is named after John Reeves (1774-1856), an English naturalist who made the first discovery of the tree. |
| Reevesia and Sterculia lanceolata (Lance-leaved Sterculia) | Two species are the members of Sterculiaceae and are always confused with their comparable characteristics without blossoms. To distinguish the trees, the abaxial leaves of Reevesia are pastel green, while Lance-leaved Sterculia are green with discernible netted veins. The bark of Reevesia is cracked in rhombuses, while this pattern is absent in Lance-leaved Sterculia. |
| Growing habit | Evergreen tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | To 20 m. |
| Stem | Bark grey-brown, coarse, lumpy, always cracked in rhombuses. |
| Leaves | Simple leaves alternate, aggregated at the apex of branchlets. Leaf blade oblong to elliptic, apex acute or acuminate, adaxially emerald and glossy, abaxially pastel green. Petioles swollen at two proximal ends of petioles. |
| Flower | Corymbose, terminal, densely flowered. Petals 5, white. Androgynophore with 15 anthers at apex. |
| Fruit | Capsules ellipsoid, 5-ribbed, pubescent. Seeds compressed and winged. |
| Flowering period | March to April in Hong Kong. |
| Fruiting period | June to October in Hong Kong. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=7984
Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Reevesia thyrsoidea Lindley
— Plants of the World Online : Reevesia thyrsoidea Lindl.