Vasilis Teodoridis:
Lauraceae | Neolitsea
34. Neolitsea ellipsoidea C. K. Allen; Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 25: 428. 1938.
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Trees; up to 30 m tall; ca. 2 m d.b.h. Branchlets glabrous; stout. Leaves alternate or clustered toward apex of branchlet; petiole flat; 2-3 cm; glabrous; leaf blade elliptic or broadly elliptic; 7-10 x 2.3-5 cm; glabrous on both surfaces; glaucous abaxially; triplinerved; lateral veins 2 or 3 pairs; lowermost pair arising ca. 6 mm from base; other pairs arising from above middle of blade; base broadly cuneate; apex shortly acute. Umbels axillary or lateral; solitary or 2-fascicled; 2-5-flowered; peduncle 1-2 mm. Pedicel 3-4 mm; ferruginous pubescent. Perianth segments 4; elliptic; fragrant; ferruginous pubescent outside. Male flowers: fertile stamens 6; filaments pubescent; of 3rd whorls each with 2 reniform glands at base; rudimentary pistil glabrous. Fruit ellipsoid; 13-18 x 10-13 mm; seated on flat discoid perianth tube; black-brown at maturity; fruiting pedicel stout; wrinkled. Fl. Jun-Jul; fr. Oct-Nov; or fl. Oct-Dec; fr. Apr-May of next year.
? Forest margins; roadsides; sparse forests on mountains; mixed forests; 700-1000 m. Hainan.
A record from Guangdong (in Fl. Hainan. 1: 298. 1964) is erroneous.
The wood is light and relatively easy to work; it is used for making furniture; musical instruments; plywood; decorative veneer; etc. The seed core contains ca. 60% oil.