• Scientific Name: Bixa orellana L.
• Ref: Sp. Pl.:512. 1753
• Synonyms: Bixa acuminata Bojer; B. americana Poir.; B. katangensis Delpierre; B. orellana f. leiocarpa (Kuntze) J.F.Macbr.; B. orellana var. leiocarpa (Kuntze) Standl. & L.O.Williams; B. orleana Noronha; B. purpurea Sweet; B. tinctaria Salisb.; B. upatensis Ram.Goyena; Orellana americana (Poir.) Kuntze; O. americana var. leiocarpa Kuntze; O. americana var. normalis Kuntze; O. orellana (L.) Kuntze
• English Common Name: achiote, lipstick tree
• Chinese Common Name: 红木 hóngmù, 胭脂木 yānzhīmù
• Japanese Common Name: ベニノキ [紅の木] beninoki
• Family: Bixaceae
• Genus: Bixa
• Distribution: Cultivated, tolerant of poor soils but intolerant of shade. Guangdong, Taiwan, Yunnan [native to tropical America; cultivated pantropically].
• Photo: 06/21/2009, South China Botanical Garden, Guangdong

Shrubs or small trees, evergreen, 2-5(-10) m tall. Branches brown, densely red-brown glandular hairy. Petiole erect, 2.5-5 cm, glabrous; leaf blade abaxially pale green, with resinlike gland dots, adaxially deep green, cordate-ovate or triangular-ovate, (5-)10-25 × (3.3-)5-13(-16.5) cm, palmately 5-veined, glabrous, base rounded or subtruncate, sometimes slightly cordate, margin entire, apex acuminate. Panicles robust, often flat-topped, 5-10 cm, densely red-brown scaly and glandular hairy; bracts caducous, leaving scalelike scars. Flowers 4-5 cm in diam.; pedicel 4-12 mm. Sepals obovate, 8-10 × ca. 7 mm, densely red-brown scaly, with glands at base. Petals bright pink, mauve, or white with pale red veins, obovate, (1-)1.5-3 × 0.8-2 cm. Stamens many; anthers yellow, apically dehiscent. Capsule subglobose or ovoid, slightly laterally compressed, (1.4-)2-4.5 cm, usually densely purple-brown spiny, rarely smooth; spines 1-2 cm. Seeds numerous, red-brown, obovoid-angular, 4-5 mm. (Flora of China)

06/21/2009, South China Botanical Garden, Guangdong