Michelia velutina
DC., Prodr. 1: 79. 1824. M. lanuginosa Wallich, Tent. Fl. Nep.
8. 1824; Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 43. 1872.
Kh.: Dieng-laji; Nep.: Gogoi-champ, Guay-champ, Phurse.
Trees, up to 30 m tall, deciduous; bark thick, plain, corky, grey; branchlets velutinous when young. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, acute or sometimes rounded at base, acuminate at apex, 16 - 24 x 4 - 7.5 cm, thinly coriaceous, shiny and glabrous above, densely silky greyish pubescent on lower surface, turning yellow before falling; lateral nerves 14 - 18 pairs, slender; closely reticulate; petioles 1.2 - 1.5 cm long, grey-tomentose; Stipules oblong; stipular scars 3 - 5 mm long. Flowers pale white, fragrant, axillary, solitary, 5 - 7 cm across; pedicels short, stout; bracts 2, spathaceous, oblong, densely grey silky velutinous. Perianth parts 12 - 18, elliptic to oblanceolate, 3 - 5 x 0.8 - 1 cm, fleshy. Stamens 30 - 70, uniseriate, caducous; filaments short, glabrous; anthers up to 8 mm long, twisted when dry. Gynoecium with up to 1 cm long stalk, conical, 10 - 14 x 6 mm, densely velutinous; carpels 45 - 60 or more, ovoid, 3 - 4 x 2 mm, woolly; style slender, beaked, is glabrous, dark brown when dry. Fruiting receptacles 8 - 10 cm long; ripe carpels slightly compressed, 1.5 - 2.2 x 1 - 1.5 cm, dark brown with tuberculate lenticels. Seeds large, 1-3, angular, deep orange; testa hard and brown.
Fl. & Fr. July - Dec.
Distrib. India: E. Himalayas and N. E. India, subtropical forests, 1200 - 2000 m. West Bengal, Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Nepal.
Notes. Sometimes cultivated for its useful timber.
Trees, up to 30 m tall, deciduous; bark thick, plain, corky, grey; branchlets velutinous when young. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, acute or sometimes rounded at base, acuminate at apex, 16 - 24 x 4 - 7.5 cm, thinly coriaceous, shiny and glabrous above, densely silky greyish pubescent on lower surface, turning yellow before falling; lateral nerves 14 - 18 pairs, slender; closely reticulate; petioles 1.2 - 1.5 cm long, grey-tomentose; Stipules oblong; stipular scars 3 - 5 mm long. Flowers pale white, fragrant, axillary, solitary, 5 - 7 cm across; pedicels short, stout; bracts 2, spathaceous, oblong, densely grey silky velutinous. Perianth parts 12 - 18, elliptic to oblanceolate, 3 - 5 x 0.8 - 1 cm, fleshy. Stamens 30 - 70, uniseriate, caducous; filaments short, glabrous; anthers up to 8 mm long, twisted when dry. Gynoecium with up to 1 cm long stalk, conical, 10 - 14 x 6 mm, densely velutinous; carpels 45 - 60 or more, ovoid, 3 - 4 x 2 mm, woolly; style slender, beaked, is glabrous, dark brown when dry. Fruiting receptacles 8 - 10 cm long; ripe carpels slightly compressed, 1.5 - 2.2 x 1 - 1.5 cm, dark brown with tuberculate lenticels. Seeds large, 1-3, angular, deep orange; testa hard and brown.
Fl. & Fr. July - Dec.
Distrib. India: E. Himalayas and N. E. India, subtropical forests, 1200 - 2000 m. West Bengal, Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Nepal.
Notes. Sometimes cultivated for its useful timber.
