Volume 14 > Part 2 > Year 2019 > Page 346 > Styracaceae > Styrax

2. Styrax benzoides Craibwfo-0001141430

Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew: 267, 391. 1912; Hooker’s Icon. Pl.: tab. 2999. 1913; H.R.Fletcher in Craib, Fl. Siam. Enum. 2: 391. 1938; Y.F.Wu & S.M.Hwang, Fl. Reipub. Sin. 60(2): 107, fig. 38: 1‒3. 1987; Svengs. & J.E.Vidal in Morat, Fl. Cambodge, Laos & Vietnam 26: 165, pl. 29: 9–13. 1992; S.M.Hwang & J.W.Grimes in C.Y.Wu & P.H.Raven, Fl. China 15: 260, fig. 207: 1–3. 1996. Plate XXXII: A–B.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : (Shrubs to) trees, to 15 m tall, dbh 18 cm; young branches tomentose, glabrescent, bark not stripping to somewhat stripping. Outer bark thin, smooth to slightly roughened, dark brown to grey, exudate. Indumentum of stellate (short, < 0.2 mm long, and longer, > 0.2 mm long) and simple hairs. Leaves: petioles 4–14 mm long, grooved above, longitudinally ridged when dry, densely hairy; blades ovate, 4–18.8 by 1.3–8 cm, papery to pergamentaceous, base cuneate, not to somewhat asymmetric, not to slightly oblique, margin entire, wavy, flat to somewhat revolute, apex cuspidate to caudate, upper surface glabrous except very base and basal part of midrib, young leaves with dense indumentum but shed before maturity, dull dark green, lower surface densely hairy with short stellate hairs, epidermis not visible, veins usually becoming glabrous, silvery grey; venation slightly raised on both sides or midrib and main veins slightly depressed above, especially highest order veins visible above, secondary veins 7–11 pairs till apex, third order veins scalariform, most distinct underneath, higher orders densely reticulate, visible above. Inflorescences paniculate thyrses, up to 9 cm long, tomentose with also longer stellate hairs; bracts subulate because inrolled, ca 3.5 mm long, tomentose. Flowers 10–15 mm diameter; pedicels 3.5–5 mm long, tomentose with longer stellate hairs; buds ovoid, 6–8 by ca 3 mm. Calyx 3–3.5 by 3.2–4 mm; teeth indistinct to triangular, then 0.5–0.8 by 1.2–1.5 mm. Corolla 8.5–11.5 mm high; tube 1.8–2.4 mm high; lobes long ovate to oblong, 8–10 by 1.9–2.2 mm, valvate, inrolled, inside subglabrous, apically more densely hairy. Stamens: filament tube 2–3 mm high, free part of filaments 2.2–3 mm long, hardly tapering upwards, completely hairy; anthers 3.3–3.8 mm long. Ovary ovoid, 1.3–1.8 mm broad; style 8.8–11.5 mm long, stigma lobes pale light yellow. Fruits flattened globose, 8–12 by 8.8–12 mm, dehiscent into three equal parts, smooth, apically apiculate when immature; wall up to 1(–1.5) mm thick, woody, brown; calyx remaining adnate to fruit. Seeds flattened globose, 7–9.5 by 8–10.7 mm, apically slightly pointed, with 3 slightly raised longitudinal ridges.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Ban Nong Noi, Ban Pha Nok Kok, Ban Ta Fang, Bo Luang, Chaibragan, Doi Angka, Doi Chang, Doi Inthanon, Doi Mae Sa, Doi Mon Angget, Doi Nangka, Doi Pui, Doi Suthep (syntypes: Kerr 669 -K [3 sheets] & Kerr 669B -K), Huai Kao, Khon Wang Highland Agricultural Centre, Maesa Botanical Garden, Pong Pho, Tung Luang), Chiang Rai (Ban San Sa At, Doi Pa Hom Pok, Doi Tung, Mae Suai), Phayao (Doi Luang, Phusang), Nan (Doi Phu Kha), Lamphun (Khun Tan); Tak (Doi Pae Pu), Kamphaeng Phet (Mae Wong); NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun (Nam Nao); SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Khao Kam Paeng, Si Nakharin, Tinuai); CENTRAL: Suphan Buri (Phu Toei).

Distribution : Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Ecology : Dry evergreen forests, mixed deciduous forests, oak-pine forests (dipterocarp-pine-oak at lower altitudes), open places in degraded forests, lower montane forests, in bambooo thickets, along rivers, old swiddens; soil sandy, granite or shale bedrock; 150–1,600 m alt. Flowering: February, March, May–July; fruiting: June–December, February.

Vernacular : Kam yan (กำยาน); khwe (เขว้)(Lawa-Chiang Mai); ma-fai (Lahu-Chiang Rai); sat saming (ฃาดสมิง); se-po-bo (เฃพอบอ)(Karen-Chiang Mai).

Uses: Medicinally used against fatigue (decoction and absorption used); bark boiled and solution drunk to reduce high fever and pain throughout the body; dried flower used as vitamin B resource (Santisuk et al. [BKF 95297]). Source of benzoin gum in especially N Thailand (Craib, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, 1912: 391), see also under uses of Styrax benzoin.

Notes: See note 1 under Styrax apricus for the differences between S. apricus, S. benzoides and S. benzoin.