Helicia formosana Hemsl.

This species provides timber.

Trees 3-10 m tall; young branchlets and inflorescence rust-colored tomentulose. Petiole 3-10 mm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate-oblong, 10-25 × 2.5-7 cm, ± leathery to papery, abaxially pilose along veins, glabrescent, adaxially glabrous, base cuneate, margin toothed, apex acuminate to acute; midvein raised on both surfaces; secondary veins 8-12 on each side of midvein, abaxially prominent. Inflorescences ramiflorous, rarely axillary, 10-24 cm; bracts of flower pairs deltoid, 1-2 mm; floral bracts lanceolate, 0.5-1 mm. Pedicels 2-5 mm, basally connate. Perianth whitish to yellowish, 1.5-2 cm, pilose. Anthers 1.5-2 mm. Hypogynous glands ovoid, free, rarely basally connate. Ovary glabrous. Fruit brownish, ± globose, roughish, 1.5-3 cm in diam., apex apiculate; pericarp 1-1.5 mm thick, woody. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Nov-Feb.

Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan [Laos, Thailand, N Vietnam].

Forests on mountain slopes or valleys; 100-1000 m.

Helicia formosana var. oblanceolata Sleumer.