Pyrenaria microcarpa

Pyrenaria microcarpa is an evergreen plant in the family Theaceae. It is native from southern mainland China, east to Taiwan, and south to Myanmar and Vietnam.^[1]

Pyrenaria microcarpa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Theaceae
Genus:	Pyrenaria
Species:	P. microcarpa
Binomial name
Pyrenaria microcarpa (Dunn) H.Keng[1]
Synonyms
Of the species:[1] Tutcheria microcarpa Dunn Of var. microcarpa:[2] List Camellia shinkoensis (Hayata) Cohen-Stuart Camellia virgata (Koidz.) Makino & Nemoto Pyrenaria microcarpa var. shinkoensis (Hayata) T.L.Ming & S.X.Yang Pyrenaria microcarpa var. tenuifolia (Hung T.Chang) T.L.Ming & S.X.Yang Pyrenaria shinkoensis (Hayata) H.Keng Pyrenaria virgata (Koidz.) H.Keng Thea shinkoensis Hayata Thea virgata Koidz. Tutcheria shinkoensis (Hayata) Nakai Tutcheria tenuifolia Hung T.Chang Tutcheria virgata (Koidz.) Nakai Of var. ovalifolia:[3] List Camellia buisanensis Sasaki Camellia sinensis subsp. buisanensis (Sasaki) S.Y.Lu & Y.P.Yang Camelliastrum buisanense (Sasaki) Nakai Pyrenaria buisanensis (Sasaki) C.F.Hsieh, Sheng Z.Yang & M.H.Su Pyrenaria ovalifolia (H.L.Li) H.Keng Pyrenaria symplocifolia (Merr. & F.P.Metcalf) H.Keng Thea buisanensis (Sasaki) F.P.Metcalf Tutcheria ovalifolia H.L.Li Tutcheria symplocifolia Merr. & F.P.Metcalf Tutcheria taiwanica Hung T.Chang & S.X.Ren

Description

Leaves and fruit

Pyrenaria microcarpa is a shrub or medium-sized tree reaching a height of approximately 1–15 m (3–49 ft). Its leaves are leathery, elliptic, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, with a serrate margin, and are about 8–13 cm (3.1–5.1 in) long. Its flowers are axillary, solitary, with five white or pale yellow petals, about 2–2.5 cm (0.8–1.0 in) across. Its fruits are more-or-less ovoid or globose capsules about 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) long, with three chestnut brown seeds in each of the three locules. The flowering period extends from April through July, while the fruits ripe from August up to November.^[4]

Varieties

As of March 2024^[update], Plants of the World Online accepted two varieties:^[1]

• Pyrenaria microcarpa var. microcarpa – throughout the range of the species^[2]
• Pyrenaria microcarpa var. ovalifolia (H.L.Li) T.L.Ming & S.X.Yang – Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, north Taiwan^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Pyrenaria microcarpa is native to south-central and southeast China, Hainan, Myanmar, the Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), Taiwan, and Vietnam.^[1] It grows in mountain forests or along streams, at an elevation of about 300–1,000 metres (980–3,280 ft) above sea level.^{[citation needed]}