少药八角 shao yao ba jiao

Illicium parvifolium Merrill subsp. oligandrum (Merrill & Chun) Q. Lin.

Trees to 12 m tall. Perules small, inconspicuous. Leaves in clusters of 3-5 at distal nodes; petiole 5-12 mm; leaf blade oblong-obovate to elliptic, 4-9 × 1.5-3.7 cm, leathery, midvein adaxially ± flat but slightly impressed toward base, secondary veins 4-6 on each side of midvein and inconspicuous, base narrowly cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded. Flowers axillary or subterminal. Flower peduncle 0.9-1.5 cm. Tepals 11-18, greenish yellow to pale yellow, reniform to suborbicular (outer) to elliptic to obovate-elliptic (largest), 5-7(-10) × 4.5-5.5(-9) mm (largest), papery (outer) to slightly fleshy (inner). Stamens 4-7, 2.5-3.2 mm; filaments 1.3-2 mm; connectives truncate to emarginate; anthers 1-1.2 mm; pollen grains trisyncolpate. Carpels 8 or 9, 2.5-3 mm; ovary 1.3-1.5 mm; style as long as ovary. Fruit and seeds not seen. Fl. May-Oct and Jan.

● Forests, thickets; 700-1200 m. Guangxi, Hainan.

This species is used for timber.