Neocinnamomum
Neocinnamomum | |
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Neocinnamomum delavayi | |
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Genus: | Neocinnamomum |
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See text |
Neocinnamomum (新樟属, xin zhang shu) is a genus of evergreen shrubs or small trees, indigenous to Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia (Sumatra), Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.[1][2]
They inhabit coastal to montane tropical forests, and laurel forests. These trees and shrubs are characteristic of the lower strata of the tropical rainforest but some species are at 20 m tall. They require a warm and wet climate with no extremes of heat and cold.[citation needed] These types of woody plants live in the laurel forests of the mountains[3] Although there can be months in which there is less rain, no prolonged dry season should occur and rain received on about 150 days per year.[citation needed] Present from rocky and stony ground to waterlogged and marshy areas.[citation needed]
The pollination is by insects[citation needed] that pollinate the very small bisexual[citation needed] flowers,[4] in inflorescences glomerules, They are condensed inflorescence with poorly defined branching,[4] while birds disperse the seeds by avidly eat the fruit berries. The berries are ellipsoid, globose or pear shape; The trees flower in rainy season and the fruits ripen 6 months later. Some species propagate vegetatively too.[5]
The tree Neocinnamomum mekongense is a species that grows in the Butterfly Spring in the mountains north of Dali, China. Masses of butterflies congregate on its branches in the springtime making it a popular tourist destination.[citation needed] The butterfies are thought to feed off secretions made by the tree (possibly extrafloral nectaries).[citation needed]
Species
- Neocinnamomum caudatum (Nees) Merrill
- Neocinnamomum delavayi (Lecomte) H.Liou
- Neocinnamomum fargesii (Lecomte) Kosterm.
- Neocinnamomum lecomtei H.Liou
- Neocinnamomum mekongense (Hand.-Mazz.) Kosterm.
References
- Flora of China 7: 187–189. 2008.
- Zhi-hua Wang, Jie Li, John G. Conran, Hsi-wen Li, "Phylogeny of the Southeast Asian endemic genus Neocinnamomum H. Liu (Lauraceae)", Plant Syst Evol (2010) 290:173–184. DOI 10.1007/s00606-010-0359-1. [1]