Vernicia montana | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
Genus: | Vernicia |
Species: | V. montana
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Binomial name | |
Vernicia montana | |
Synonyms | |
Aleurites montana |
Vernicia montana, the mu oil tree, [1] or chine wood oil tree, [2] is a species of Vernicia in the spurge family, native to Southeast Asia (including Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam) and southern China. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height 20 metres (66 ft). [3] The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains. [4] The leaves are large with three lobes. The monoecious white-petaled flowers emerged as inflorescences, containing both male and female flowers. The 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) fruit is a globular drupe with wrinkled skin that turns from green to yellow upon ripening. Each fruit contains 3 seeds, rich in oil.
Vernicia montana is grown mostly for the seeds from which a varnish is made similar to the tung tree. The oil is prized as a wood finish. [2] As the tree prefers well drained, sandy soils, the trees are grown on hillside plantations in northern Vietnam. In nature, V montana can be found at the margins of primary forests.
The wood is also harvested.
Media related to
Vernicia montana at Wikimedia Commons