Wuodendron is a genus of plants in the family Annonaceae and tribe Miliuseae, containing the type and only species Wuodendron praecox.[2] It is distributed from northeastern India north to southern China and southeast through most of Mainland Southeast Asia.[2][4]
Conservation status and description
The single species (under its synonym P. litseifolia) is described as a subtropical and tropical forest tree growing to 40 m tall, with greyish brown bark and glabrous, brown branches.[5] Under this name it has been considered Endangered on the IUCN Red List,[1] which considers it to have a much smaller range (only Yunnan, China) than the wider range now recorded,[3] considering the synonyms and revised nomenclature.
The leaves are elliptic and 90-200 × 45-80 mm on 6-10 mm petioles; they are adaxially furrowed, glabrous and often with an axillary bud at the base. Reticulate veins are elevated on both surfaces, with 10-16 secondary veins on each side of midvein.
Inflorescences are single-flowered and axillary, on 20 - 35 mm, glabrous peduncles. Sepals are triangular to lanceolate, approx. 12 mm, puberulent on the outside and glabrous inside. The petals are broadly linear, 60-90 × 7-11 mm, with a midrib and 2-4 parallel secondary veins. There are many stamens, approx. 1.5 mm, truncate at the apices. There are 5 or 6, glabrous carpels, with 3 ovules per carpel; stigmas are clavate and puberulent.
The fruit are oblong to ovoid (30-35 × 20-25 mm) and singular on 10-30 mm stalks; constricted between seeds (typically 3 per monocarp), glabrous and warty. In southern China, flowering is from April-July and fruiting is from May-September.[5]
