Vernicia montana
Vernicia montana is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is sometimes referred to by the common name mu oil tree, or chine wood oil tree.
Description
It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching a height. The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains. The leaves are large with three lobes. The monoecious white-petaled flowers emerged as inflorescences, containing both male and female flowers. The fruit is a globular drupe with wrinkled skin that turns from green to yellow upon ripening. Each fruit contains 3 seeds, rich in oil.Distribution
It is native to Cambodia, South-Central and Southern China, Hainan, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.Cultivation and uses
Vernicia montana is grown mostly for the seeds from which a varnish is made similar to the tung tree. The oil is prized as a wood finish. As the tree prefers well drained, sandy soils, the trees are grown on hillside plantations in northern Vietnam. In nature, V montana can be found at the margins of primary forests.The wood is also harvested.