Vasilis Teodoridis:
Meliaceae | Aphanamixis
1. Aphanamixis polystachya (Wallich) R. Parker; Indian Forester. 57: 486. 1931.
?? shan lian
Aglaia polystachya Wallich in Roxburgh; Fl. Ind. 2: 429. 1824; A. aphanamixis Pellegrin; Amoora elmeri Merrill; A. grandifolia (Blume) Walpers; A. rohituka (Roxburgh) Wight & Arnott; Andersonia rohituka Roxburgh; Aphanamixis elmeri (Merrill) Merrill; A. grandifolia Blume; A. rohituka (Roxburgh) Pierre; A. sinensis F. C. How & T. C. Chen; A. tripetala (Blanco) Merrill; Chuniodendron spicatum Hu; C. yunnanense Hu; Trichilia tripetala Blanco.
Trees or shrubs; (2-)20-30 m tall. Leaves odd- or even- pinnate; 30-60(-90) cm; leaflets (5-)9-21; opposite; petiolules (2-)6-12 mm; leaflet blades oblong-elliptic; elliptic; or ovate; (7-)17-26 x 4-10 cm with basal pair smallest; membranous when young; subleathery to leathery when mature; with visible transparent tiny spots under sunlight; both surfaces glabrous; secondary veins (8-)11-20 on each side of midvein and slender; base oblique and cuneate to broadly cuneate or sometimes one side rounded; margin entire; apex caudate-acuminate to obtuse. Inflorescences axillary; less than 30 cm. Flowers 6-7 mm in diam.; with 3 bracteoles. Sepals 5; suborbicular; 1-1.5 mm in diam.; margin sometimes ciliate. Petals 3-7 mm in diam.; concave. Staminal tube globose; glabrous; anthers 5 or 6; oblong. Ovary 3-locular; with thick trichomes. Capsule spherical-pyriform to nearly ovoid; 2-2.5 x 2.5-3 cm; orangish when mature. Seeds grayish brown; oblate; 1.3-1.5 x 1-1.2 cm. Fl. May-Sep; fr. Oct-Apr.
Dense or sparse mixed evergreen broad-leaved and deciduous forests in mountainous regions; low to middle elevations. Fujian; Guangdong; Guangxi; Hainan; Taiwan (Lan Yu); Yunnan [Bhutan; India; Indonesia; Laos; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Vietnam; Pacific islands (Solomon Islands)].
The seed oil is used for making soap and lubricating oil. The very fine wood is used for construction and ship-making.