Ailanthus, Green Ailanthus

Scientific Name : Ailanthus fordii Noot.
Common Name : Ailanthus, Green Ailanthus
Chinese Name : 常綠臭椿, 福氏臭椿
Family : SIMAROUBACEAE
Local distribution status : Native species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins

South coast of Guangdong Province, Xishuangbanna area in Yunnan, China.

Relationship with Hong Kong

Ailanthus is one of the native species in Hong Kong. As a rare species, it has been rated “near threatened" in China and is listed in the Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong. The wild population of Ailanthus is protected by Hong Kong legislation, i.e. Forestry Regulations Cap. 96A, which states that it is illegal to sell, offer for sale, or have in one's possession or under one's custody or control any portion without legal excuse. Ailanthus has a story with Hong Kong - its type specimen was collected by the then Superintendent of the Government Gardens and Tree Planting Department, Charles Ford, in Hong Kong Island between 1884 and 1886. It was later published by a botanist Hans Peter Nooteboom in Flora Malesiana in 1962. Type specimens play an important role in taxonomy as they help to authenticate species. The species epithet of its scientific name is "fordii", which was to credit Ford’s effort in the discovery of the species. The term “Ford’s (福氏)” in its Chinese name “Ford’s Ailanthus (福氏臭椿)” also refers to Charles Ford. Ailanthus is very common in Hong Kong currently, usually planted as a street tree and used for greenery in gardens. Only under the protection of laws and conservation efforts, including ex-situ conservation, we are able to see this once-rare plant in city areas.

Traits for identification

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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=7040

Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Ailanthus fordii Nooteboom
― Plants of the World Online : Ailanthus fordii Noot.

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). Ailanthus fordii Nooteboom. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 4^th June 2020, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242301844
• Hong Kong e-Legislation. (1997). Cap. 96A Forestry Regulations. Hong Kong e-Legislation. Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap96A!en-zh-Hant-HK?INDEX_CS=N
• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Ailanthus fordii Noot. 常綠臭椿(福氏臭椿). Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 4^th June 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/FloraOfHK/Species/7040/7040_S_E.pdf
• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. (2014). About Us: History. Hong Kong Herbarium. Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/AboutUs.aspx?id=1
• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. (2020). (13) 常綠臭椿Ailanthus fordii Noot. Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong (Online Version). Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/PublicationsPreface.aspx?BookNameId=1&ContentId=15&SectionId=3
• Leisure and Cultural Services Department. (2014). Introduction. Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/parks/hkzbg/background.html
• Tropicos. (2020). Ailanthus fordii Noot. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.tropicos.org/name/50126837
• van Steenis, C. G. G. J. (1962). Ailanthus fordii Nooteboom. Flora Malesiana. The Rijksherbarium, Leyden, Holland. Retrieved 6^th July 2020, from: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28671412#page/66/mode/1up
• 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）。〈常綠臭椿Ailanthus fordii Nooteboom〉。《中國植物誌》。[網上版本]。於2020年6月4日擷取自 : http://www.iplant.cn/info/Ailanthus%20fordii?t=z
• 中國科學院華南植物園。（1987）。《廣東植物誌》（第1卷）。廣州 : 廣東科技出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5359-5079-6。
• 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。