Daphniphyllum majus explained

Occurring as a shrub or as a tree, Daphniphyllum majus is a species in the family Daphniphyllaceae. It is found in Mainland Southeast Asia and Yunnan in Zhōngguó/China. Uses of the plant include fuel and smoking-material.

Taxonomy

The species is in section Lunata of Daphniphyllum, along with D. calycinum and D. griffithianum.[1]

This species has 4 accepted infraspecific varieties:

Description

Daphniphyllum majus grow from 2m to 10m tall.[3] Its grayish-brown branchlets are stout and densely covered in lenticels. The leaf blade is green when dry, glaucous below, oblong-elliptic or obovate-oblong in shape, (16-)20-37 × 7-14 cm, apex acuminate, reticulate veins are prominent on both surfaces. Along with some others species of the genus, D. majus has loosely arranged conical to round palisade cells in its leaves.[1] The species also has small (20 microns) irregular epidermal guard cells on the adaxial ("top") side of the leaf and bigger (24 microns) dome-shaped epidermal/guard cells on the abaxial side along with leaf stomata that are hemiparacytic (traits only shared with D. calycinum). The calyx is persistent, 2-3mm in size. The fruit 10-15 mm, not glaucous, loosely arranged. The plant flowers in Zhōngguó/China in March and April, fruiting from October to December.

Var. pierrei is a tall shrub, growing 1 to 6m tall.[4]

Distribution

The species overall is native to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern Yunnan (where it is found in Jinghong, Maguan, Malipo, Menghai, and Pingbian counties and Simao District), Laos and Myanmar.[2] Var. deciduum is endemic to Cambodia.[5] The nominate variety, var. majus, is found in Thailand, Myanmar and Yunnan. Var. phanrangense is endemic to Vietnam.[6] Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos are the native regions for the var. pierrei.[7]

Habitat

In Zhōngguó/China, D. majus is found in forest at between 1100 and 1500m elevation. Var. pierrei is found in coastal forests.[4]

Vernacular names

Daphniphyllum majus is known as 大叶虎皮楠 da ye hu pi nan in Zhōngguó/China.[8] Var. pierrei is known as rum dé:nh or châmbâk pra:ng in Khmer.[4]

Uses

The dried leaves of var. pierrei are smoked (as in tobacco) in Cambodia. The wood is excellent firewood.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Tang . M.-S. . Yang . Y.-P. . Sheue . C.-R. . Comparative morphology on leaves of Daphniphyllum (Daphniphyllaceae) . Blumea . 2009 . 54 . 63–8 . 10.3767/000651909X474104 .
  2. Web site: Daphniphyllum majus Müll.Arg. . Plants of the World Online (POWO) . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science . 9 May 2020.
  3. 1. Daphniphyllum Blume, Bijdr. 13: 1152. 1826. . Flora of China . 11 . 315 . 10 May 2020.
  4. Book: Pauline Dy Phon . Plants Utilised In Cambodia/Plantes utilisées au Cambodge . 2000 . Imprimerie Olympic . Phnom Penh . 14, 15 . Pauline Dy Phon .
  5. Web site: Daphniphyllum majus var. deciduum T.C.Huang . Plants of the World Online (POWO) . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science . 9 May 2020.
  6. Web site: Daphniphyllum majus var. phanrangense (Gagnep.) T.C.Huang . Plants of the World Online (POWO) . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science . 9 May 2020.
  7. Web site: Daphniphyllum majus var. pierrei (Hance) T.C.Huang . Plants of the World Online (POWO) . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew/Science . 9 May 2020.
  8. 8. Daphniphyllum majus Müller Argoviensis, Linnaea. 34: 76. 1865. . Flora of China . 11 . 315, 317 . 9 May 2020.