珙桐 Davidia involucrata

Scientific Name: Davidia involucrata Baill.
Ref: Adansonia 10:115. 1871
Synonyms: Davidia involucrata subsp. vilmoriniana (Dode) Holub; D. laeta Dode; D. tibetana David; D. vilmoriniana Dode
English Common Name: dove-tree, handkerchief tree, pocket handkerchief tree, ghost tree
Chinese Common Name: 珙桐 gǒngtóng, 鸽子树 gēzi∙shù
Japanese Common Name: ハンカチノキ [ハンカチの木/手巾の木] hankachinoki
Family: Nyssaceae
Genus: Davidia
Distribution: Montane mixed forests; 1100-2600 m. Guizhou, W Hubei, W Hunan, Sichuan, N Yunnan.
Photo: 04/19/2016, Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Zhejiang

Trees to 20 m high, with ascending bark. Petiole red, 3.6-7 cm; leaf blade adaxially bright green, broadly ovate, 8-15 × 7-12 cm, abaxially densely silky pubescent, strongly veined, adaxially finally glabrous, base cordate, margin dentate-serrate with acuminate teeth, apex acuminate. Flower heads terminal, ca. 2 cm in diam. on slender peduncles ca. 7 cm, on short lateral spurs; bracts 2(or 3), opposite, ovate to oblong-obovate, margin entire or serrate, larger one to 16 cm, smaller one ca. 1/2 as long. Fruit usually solitary, green with purple bloom, pear-shaped, 3-4 × 1.5-2 cm. Fl. Apr, fr. Oct. 2n = 40*, 42*. (Flora of China)