296 CHINESE ECONOMIC TEEES 



EMMENOPTERYS 



Trees. Leaves, deciduous, opposite, petiolate, ovate-elliptic, 

 acuminate, cuneate, entire, somewhat coriaceous ; stipules caducous. 

 Inflorescence many flowered, corymbose, arranged in a terminal panicle. 

 Flowers white ; corolla bell shaped, 5 lobed, narrowed below into a 

 cylindrical tube; calyx limb 5 lobed, ciliate, deciduous; stamens 5, 

 included, inserted on the corolla; ovary 2 celled; style filiform ; ovules 

 numerous. A white leafy bract is appendaged to at least one flower in 

 every corymb and persists on the fruit. Capsule woody, oblong-ovoid 

 to cylindric, tapering at both ends, splitting partly into 2 valves ; seeds 

 numerous, minute, surrounded by a finely reticulated pithy wing. 



Only, one species known. The fruit is remarkable on account of the 

 large wing-like petaloid bract attached to it. This appendage is devel- 

 oped from the bract of the flower. 



Emmenopterys henryi Oliver. 



Glabrous tree up to 26 m. tall and 1 m. in diameter, with scaly bark 

 when young and rough gray bark at maturity. Leaves 10-16 cm. long, 

 5-11 cm. wide; petiole 2.5-5 cm. long. Bract to 5 cm. long. Corolla 

 about 2.5 cm. wide. Fruit 2.5-5 cm. long. 



Western China. 



This tree is characterized by opposite, entire leaves, showy white 

 flowers in corymbs of which one flower in every cluster is appendaged 

 with a large, white leafy bract which turns pink as the fruit ripens. 

 The fruit is an ellipsoid capsule splitting imperfectly into two valves 

 liberating numerous small, imperfectly winged seeds. 



This has been described as one of the most beautiful trees of the 

 Chinese forests because of its large white flowers and white bracts which 

 later turn pink and persist on the fruit. 



