Michelia
Encyclopedia
Michelia is a genus
of flowering plant
s belonging to the Magnolia
family (Magnoliaceae
). The genus includes about 50 species
of evergreen
tree
s and shrub
s, native to tropical and subtropical south
and southeast
Asia
(Indomalaya
), including southern China
.
s lack distinct petal
s or sepal
s. The large non-specialized flower parts, resembling petals, are called tepal
s.
The leaves, flowers, and form of Michelia resemble Magnolia, but the blossoms of Michelia generally form clusters among the leaves, rather than singly at the branch ends as Magnolia does.
. Some species, including the Champak (Michelia champaca
) and M. doltsopa are grown for their flowers, both on the tree and as cut flowers. Champak flowers are also used to produce an essential oil
for perfume. A few species have been introduced to gardens or as street trees outside of the Indomalaya region, including Michelia figo
, M. doltsopa, and M. champaca. The genus is named after the Florentine
botanist
Pietro Antonio Micheli (1679–1737).
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s belonging to the Magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
family (Magnoliaceae
Magnoliaceae
The Magnoliaceae, or Magnolia Family, is a flowering plant family in the order Magnoliales. It consists of two subfamilies:*Magnolioideae, of which Magnolia is the most well-known genus....
). The genus includes about 50 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, native to tropical and subtropical south
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and southeast
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
(Indomalaya
Indomalaya
The Indomalaya ecozone is one of the eight ecozones that cover the planet's land surface. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia....
), including southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Description
The Magnoliaceae are an ancient family; fossil plants identifiably belonging to the Magnoliaceae back date back 95 million years. A primitive aspect of the Magnolia family is that their large, cup-shaped flowerFlower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s lack distinct petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s or sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s. The large non-specialized flower parts, resembling petals, are called tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s.
The leaves, flowers, and form of Michelia resemble Magnolia, but the blossoms of Michelia generally form clusters among the leaves, rather than singly at the branch ends as Magnolia does.
Uses
Several of the larger species are locally important sources of timberTimber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. Some species, including the Champak (Michelia champaca
Michelia champaca
Magnolia champaca is a large evergreen tree, native to the Indomalaya ecozone . It is best known for its strongly fragrant yellow or white flowers. It is, however, primarily cultivated for its timber, and is also used in urban landscaping...
) and M. doltsopa are grown for their flowers, both on the tree and as cut flowers. Champak flowers are also used to produce an essential oil
Essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
for perfume. A few species have been introduced to gardens or as street trees outside of the Indomalaya region, including Michelia figo
Michelia figo
The Banana Shrub or Port Wine Magnolia is an evergreen tree growing to 3-4 m tall. It is native to China.Initially described as by Portuguese missionary and naturalist João de Loureiro as Liriodendron figo, it was reclassified as Michelia figo by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel...
, M. doltsopa, and M. champaca. The genus is named after the Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
Pietro Antonio Micheli (1679–1737).
Recent changes in classification
Morphological data and molecular data recently showed that the genus Michelia is very closely related to subgenus Yulania of genus Magnolia. Many botanists now treat the genus Michelia accordingly. New combinations of names have been provided for. For further information see under genus MagnoliaMagnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
.
Michelia species
- Michelia aeneaMichelia aeneaMichelia aenea is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family native to China and Vietnam.-Sources:* Sun, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Dandy. Native to China and Vietnam. (treated as a synonym for M. foveolata Merr. ex Dandy by J. Li (1997). - Michelia × alba DC. (syn. M. longifolia Blume). White Champaca or White Sandalwood, a hybrid between M. champacaMichelia champacaMagnolia champaca is a large evergreen tree, native to the Indomalaya ecozone . It is best known for its strongly fragrant yellow or white flowers. It is, however, primarily cultivated for its timber, and is also used in urban landscaping...
L. and M. montana Blume - Michelia angustioblonga Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu
- Michelia balansae (A. DC.) Dandy (basionym: Magnolia balansae A. DC.)
- Michelia baillonii (Pierre) Finet & Gagnep. (basionym: Magnolia baillonii Pierre)
- Michelia braianensis Gagnep.
- Michelia calcicola C.Y. Wu ex Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (treated as a synonym for M. ingrataMichelia ingrataMichelia ingrata is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China.-Sources:* Sun, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Chen & Yang by Chen & Nooteboom (1993)))) - Michelia caloptila Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (dubious taxon, according to Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia cavaleriei Finet & Gagnep.
- Michelia champacaMichelia champacaMagnolia champaca is a large evergreen tree, native to the Indomalaya ecozone . It is best known for its strongly fragrant yellow or white flowers. It is, however, primarily cultivated for its timber, and is also used in urban landscaping...
L. Champak. Native to IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Java, and the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. A tree or shrub which grows from 3 to 6 meters high and wide. Glossy bright green leaves to 16 cm. Produces fragrant orange, yellow, or creamy white flowers in the spring. The flowers of this plant produce an essential oil that is used in perfume. - Michelia chapensis Dandy
- Michelia compressa (Maxim.) Sarg. (basionym: Magnolia compressa Maxim.)
- Michelia coriaceaMichelia coriaceaMichelia coriacea is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China.-Sources:* Sun, W. 1998. - Downloaded on 22 August 2007.*...
Chang & Chen - Michelia crassipes Y.-W. Law
- Michelia doltsopaMichelia doltsopaMichelia doltsopa, closely related to the magnolia and known as Sweet Michelia, is a large shrub or tree native to the eastern Himalayan region and the Meghalaya subtropical forests in India.-Description:...
Buch.-Ham. ex DC. Large shrubs and trees, growing to 30 meters. Native to the eastern HimalayasHimalayasThe Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya subtropical forestsThe Meghalaya subtropical forests is a montane subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of , encompassing the Khasi Hills, Garo Hills, and Jaintia Hills of India's Meghalaya state, and adjacent portions of Assam state...
. Varies in form from bushy to narrow and upright. Leathery dark-green leaves, 6 to 17 cm in length. Clusters of creamy white flowers in winter. Growing in popularity as a street tree in coastal CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. - Michelia elegans Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (treated as a synonym for M. cavaleriei Finet & Gagnep. by Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia elliptilimba Chen & Noot. (treated as a synonym for M. sphaerantha C.Y. Wu ex Z.S. Yue by J. Li (1997)))
- Michelia figoMichelia figoThe Banana Shrub or Port Wine Magnolia is an evergreen tree growing to 3-4 m tall. It is native to China.Initially described as by Portuguese missionary and naturalist João de Loureiro as Liriodendron figo, it was reclassified as Michelia figo by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel...
(Lour.) Spreng. (basionym: Liriodendron figo Lour.) Banana Shrub. A slow growing shrub or small tree that can grow up to 5 meters high and nearly as wide. Densely covered with small glossy green leaves. Bears clusters of large, white, sometimes purple-streaked, flowers with a potent, sweet banana scent. Port Wine is a variety that bears rose to maroon flowers. - Michelia flaviflora Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu
- Michelia floribunda Finet & Gagnep.
- Michelia foveolata Merr. ex Dandy
- Michelia fujianensis Q.F. Zheng
- Michelia fulgens Dandy (treated as a synonym for M. foveolata Merr. ex Dandy by Gagnepain (1939))))
- Michelia fulva Chang & Chen
- Michelia fuscata (Andrews) Blume ex Wall. (basionym: Magnolia fuscata Andrews; treated as a synonym for M. figoMichelia figoThe Banana Shrub or Port Wine Magnolia is an evergreen tree growing to 3-4 m tall. It is native to China.Initially described as by Portuguese missionary and naturalist João de Loureiro as Liriodendron figo, it was reclassified as Michelia figo by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel...
(Lour.) Spreng. by Baillon (1866)) - Michelia guangxiensis Y.-W. Law & R.-Z. Zhou
- Michelia hedyosperma Y.-W. Law (treated as a synonym for M. hypolampraMichelia hypolampraMichelia hypolampra is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Dandy by Chen & Nooteboom (1993)) - Michelia hypolampraMichelia hypolampraMichelia hypolampra is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Dandy - Michelia ingrataMichelia ingrataMichelia ingrata is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China.-Sources:* Sun, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Chen & Yang - Michelia iteophylla C.Y. Wu ex Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (synonym for Michelia formosana (Kaneh.) Masam. & Suzuki because the type is the same; M. formosana in its turn is treated as a synonym for M. compressa (Maxim.) Sarg. by Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia kisopa Buch.-Ham. ex DC. Native to Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya subtropical forestsThe Meghalaya subtropical forests is a montane subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of , encompassing the Khasi Hills, Garo Hills, and Jaintia Hills of India's Meghalaya state, and adjacent portions of Assam state...
- Michelia koordersiana Noot.
- Michelia lacei W.W. Sm.
- Michelia laevifolia Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (treated as a synonym for M. yunnanensis Franch. ex Finet & Gapnep. by Xia & Deng (2002))
- Michelia lanuginosa Wall. Native to Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya subtropical forestsThe Meghalaya subtropical forests is a montane subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of , encompassing the Khasi Hills, Garo Hills, and Jaintia Hills of India's Meghalaya state, and adjacent portions of Assam state...
- Michelia leveilleana Dandy
- Michelia longipetiolata C.Y. Wu ex Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (treated as a synonym for M. leveilleana Dandy by Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia longistamina Y.-W. Law (treated as a synonym for M. martinii (H. Lév.) Finet & Gagnep. ex H. Lév. by Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia longistyla Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu (treated as a synonym for M. foveolata Merr. ex Dandy; by Chen & Nooteboom (1993))
- Michelia macclurei Dandy
- Michelia martinii (H. Lév.) Finet & Gagnep. ex H. Lév. (basionym: Magnolia martinii H. Lév.)
- Michelia masticata Dandy
- Michelia maudiae Dunn
- Michelia mediocris Dandy
- Michelia microtricha (treated as a synonym for M. floribunda Finet & Gagnep. by J. Li (1997))
- Michelia montana Blume
- Michelia nilagirica Zenker. Native to southern IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Michelia odoraMichelia odoraMichelia odora is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is found in China and Vietnam. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
(W.Y. Chun) Noot. & Chen (basionym: Tsoongiodendron odorum W.Y. Chun) - Michelia pachycarpa Y.-W. Law & R.-Z. Zhou
- Michelia platypetala Hand.-Mazz. (treated as a variety of Magnolia maudiae (Dunn) Figlar (= Michelia maudiae Dunn) by Sima (2001))
- Michelia polyneura C.Y. Wu ex Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu
- Michelia punduanaMichelia punduanaMichelia punduana is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to the Meghalaya subtropical forests in India. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Hook.f. & Thomson. Native to Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya subtropical forestsThe Meghalaya subtropical forests is a montane subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of , encompassing the Khasi Hills, Garo Hills, and Jaintia Hills of India's Meghalaya state, and adjacent portions of Assam state... - Michelia rajaniana Craib
- Michelia salicifolia A. Agostini
- Michelia scortechinii (King) Dandy (basionym: Manglietia scortechinii King)
- Michelia wilsoniiMichelia wilsoniiMichelia wilsonii is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Finet & Gagnep. (syn. M. sinensis Hemsl. & E.H. Wilson; based on the same type but published a few weeks later) - Michelia shiluensis W.Y. Chun & Y.-F. Wu
- Michelia skinneriana Dunn (treated as a synonym for M. figoMichelia figoThe Banana Shrub or Port Wine Magnolia is an evergreen tree growing to 3-4 m tall. It is native to China.Initially described as by Portuguese missionary and naturalist João de Loureiro as Liriodendron figo, it was reclassified as Michelia figo by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel...
(Lour.) Spreng. by Chen & Nooteboom (1993)) - Michelia sphaerantha C.Y. Wu ex Z.S. Yue
- Michelia subulifera Dandy
- Michelia szechuanica Dandy (treated as a subspecies of Magnolia ernestii Figlar (= Michelia wilsoniiMichelia wilsoniiMichelia wilsonii is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Sources:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
Finet & Gagnep.) by Sima & Figlar (2001)) - Michelia xanthanthaMichelia xanthanthaMichelia xanthantha is a species of plant in the Magnoliaceae family. It is endemic to China.-Sources:* Sun, W. 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
C.Y. Wu ex Y.-W. Law & Y.-F. Wu - Michelia yunnanensis Franch. ex Finet & Gapnep.