''Liquidambar formosana'', commonly known as the Taiwanese sweet gum or Formosan gum, is a species of tree in the family
Altingiaceae
Altingiaceae is a small family of flowering plants in the order Saxifragales, Peter F. Stevens (2001 onwards). "Altingiaceae". At: Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. At: Missouri Botanical Garden Website. (see ''External links'' below) consisting of ...
native to East Asia.
Description
''Liquidambar formosana'' is a large, native, deciduous tree that grows up to 30-40m tall. The leaves are 10~15 cm wide.,
and are three-lobed unlike five- to seven-lobed leaves of most American ''Liquidambar'' species. The foliage of the ''L. formosana'' turns a very attractive red color in autumn.
Leaves grow in an alternate arrangement, and are simple,
palmate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...
ly-veined, with serrated margins. Roots can be aggressive and branches are usually covered with corky projections. The individual flowers of ''L. formosana'' are unisexual. However, both sexes can be found in the same plant (
monoecious
Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy.
Monoecy is conne ...
).
Male flowers are in
catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated (as in ''Salix''). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged cl ...
s, female flowers form dense spherical heads, and the fruit is burr-like because of the persistent
style
Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to:
* Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable
* Design, the process of creating something
* Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...
s.
Distribution and habitat
''Liquidambar formosana'' grow mostly in woodland in warm temperate zones. It requires moist soil and can grow in light to no shade areas.
It is usually found in East Asia in Central and Southern China, Taiwan, and Indochina.
Uses
Medicinal
''Liquidambar formosana'' has many medicinal uses. The leaves and roots are used in the treatment of cancerous growths. The stem bark is used in the treatment of fluxes and skin diseases. The fruits used in the treatment of arthritis, lumbago, oedema, oliguria, and decreased milk production and skin diseases. The resin from the stems is used to treat bleeding boils, carbuncles, toothache and tuberculosis. The trunk of this tree can be used for aromatic resin.
The extract of this resin is used to promote blood circulation and relieve pain.
Other uses
''Liquidambar formosana'' is rare in cultivation but in its native regions the wood is used for making tea chests and the leaves to feed silk worms.
Gallery
File:Liquidambar formosana 02.jpg, Fall foliage and seed pods
File:Chinese Sweet Gum (Liquidambar formosana) (22085141600).jpg, Bark detail
File:Chinese Sweet Gum (Liquidambar formosana) (23193757901).jpg, Foliage
File:楓香 Liquidambar formosana-台灣台中公園 Taichung Park, Taiwan- 20211008094234 05.jpg, Viscum articulatum on the Liquidambar formosana. Taiwan.
References
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Trees of China
Trees of Korea
Trees of Laos
Trees of Taiwan
Trees of Vietnam