Greening - Tree Labels with QR Codes (55)

China-berry, Persian Lilac

Scientific Name : Melia azedarach L.
Common Name : China-berry, Persian Lilac
Chinese Name : 楝, 苦楝, 森樹, 紫花樹
Family : MELIACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins	The Yellow River Basin and provinces at the south of the Yellow River. Also distributed in tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, tropical regions in Australia and the Pacific.
Vitality	China-berry does not have high requirements for soil, so it can grow on acidic to alkaline soil. It is fast-growing and grows well on wet and fertile soil.
Applications	This species has a wide range of applications. In tropical and temperate regions, it is cultivated as street trees and ornamental trees. The blossoms of its lilac flowers deliver a sense of mournful elegance. It can also be used as an afforestation species. Being light, soft and lustrous, its wood can be made into furniture, musical instruments and construction materials. The seeds contain oil, which is the raw material for paints, lubricants and soaps.
Toxicity	China-berry is often used as a medicine for treating tinea and parasitic worms in China. However, its toxicity should not be underestimated. Especially the fruits, which are comparatively poisonous, by ingesting six to nine can be fatal. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, fast heart rate and breathing difficulty, etc. The lethality of the plant to both human and animals must be remembered, ingestion of which must be avoided.

Traits for identification

Growing habit	Deciduous tree.
Height	To 10 m.
Stems	Bark of trunk greyish brown, longitudinally fissured.
Leaves	Imparipinnate, bipinnate or tripinnate. Leaflets opposite, papery, ovate, elliptic, to lanceolate. Apex shortly acuminate, base oblique, margin obtusely serrate. Terminal leaflet usually slightly larger.
Flowers	Fragrant. Petals 5, lilac, obovate-spatulate. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes ovate to oblong-ovate. Staminal tube purple, apex with 10 dentate lobes, like a cream nozzle. Anthers 10.
Fruits	Drupe, globose to ellipsoid, yellow when mature. Endocarp ligneous.
Seeds	Ellipsoid.
Flowering period	April to May in Hong Kong.
Fruiting period	October to December in Hong Kong.

Overview of <em>Melia azedarach</em> L.

Trunk of <em>Melia azedarach</em> L.

Bark of trunk grayish brown, longitudinally fissured.

Leaflets opposite, ovate, elliptic, to lanceolate. Apex shortly acuminate, base oblique, margin obtusely serrate. Terminal leaflet usually slightly larger.

The leaf shown in this photo is bipinnate leaf. Turns yellow before defoliation.

Petals 5, lilac, obovate-spatulate. Staminal tube purple, apex with 10 dentate lobes, like a cream nozzle.

Close up of the flowers of <em>Melia azedarach</em> L. Staminal tube purple, apex with 10 dentate lobes, like a cream nozzle.

Drupe, globose to ellipsoid, yellow.

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Remarks

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=7002

Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Melia azedarach Linnaeus
― Plants of the World Online : Melia azedarach L.

Reference

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2018). A Photographic Guide to Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong. 3^rd edition. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong. ISBN: 978-988-12021-3-0.
eFloras. (2008). Melia azedarach Linnaeus. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 25^th May 2020, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200012507
Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Melia azedarach L. 楝. Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 25^th May 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/FloraOfHK/Species/7002/7002_S_E.pdf
Phua. D. H., Tsai. W. J., Ger. J., Deng. J. F. & Yang. C. C. (2008). Human Melia azedarach poisoning. Clinical Toxicology, 46(10), 1067-1070. Retrieved 25^th May 2020, from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650802310929
School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University & Hong Kong Baptist University Library. (2007). Melia azedarach L. Medicinal Plant Images Database. Retrieved 26^th May 2020, from: https://libproject.hkbu.edu.hk/was40/detail?lang=en&channelid=1288&searchword=herb_id=D00921
Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium. (2020). Melia azedarach L. 楝. Factsheet. Taxonomical Archive System. Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Native Plant Resources and Database in Hong Kong. Retrieved 25^th May 2020, from: http://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/collections/factsheet/melia-azedarach/
Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium. (2020). Melia azedarach L. 楝. Pro-Factsheet. Taxonomical Archive System. Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Native Plant Resources and Database in Hong Kong. Retrieved 25^th May 2020, from: http://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/cSollections/factsheet-pro/melia-azedarach/
中國科學院仙湖植物園。（2012）。《深圳植物誌》（第3卷）。北京 : 中國林業出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5038-6828-3。
中國科學院植物誌編輯委員會。（1959-2004）。〈楝 Melia azedarach L.〉。《中國植物誌》。[網上版本]。於2020年5月25日擷取自 : http://www.iplant.cn/info/Melia%20azedarach?t=z
中國科學院華南植物園。（1991）。《廣東植物誌》（第2卷）。廣州 : 廣東科技出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5359-0361-4。
李先源。（2018）。《觀賞植物分類學》。北京 : 科學出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-03-055580-9。
陳冀勝、鄭碩。（1987）。《中國有毒植物》。北京 : 科學出版社。
湖南中醫藥研究所。（1970）。《湖南藥物誌》。長沙 : 湖南人民出版社。1962年第1版，1970年第2次印刷。
黎存志、葉彥、葉國樑、魏遠娥、廖家業。（2008）。《香港野外樹木圖鑑》。香港 : 漁農自然護理署。國際標準書號 : 978-988-99377-3-7。