Magnolia balansae A.DC, Bull. Herb. Boissier II, 4: 294 (1904)

Synonyms
Michelia balansae (A.DC.) Dandy
Michelia balansae var. appressipubescens Y.W.Law
Michelia balansae var. brevipes B.L.Chen
Michelia baviensis Finet & Gagnep.
Michelia tonkinensis A.Chev.

Description
Trees, 7-10 m tall, to 60 cm d.b.h. Bark gray to grayish brown, smooth. Young twigs, buds, petioles, leaf blade abaxial surfaces, flower buds, and brachyblasts densely brown tomentose or with appressed fine trichomes. Petiole 1.5-4 cm, without a stipular scar, base flattened; leaf blade oblong-elliptic to obovate-elliptic, 10-20(-28) by 5-10(-12) cm, abaxially veins evidently prominent and brown tomentose, adaxially subglabrous, secondary veins 12-15 on each side of midvein with ends arching upward and becoming reticulate, base broadly cuneate, apex abruptly acute. Flowers fragrant. Tepals 6, white and pale greenish, obovate-elliptic, 3.5-3.7 by 1.3-1.5 cm; innermost tepals oblanceolate, smaller. Stamens 1-1.5 cm; connective exserted and forming a mucro; anthers 8-10 mm. Gynophore 4-6 mm, yellowish brown tomentose; gynoecium ovoid. Fruiting gynophore 4.5-7 cm. Fruit 7-12 cm; mature carpels ellipsoid-ovoid, obovoid, or cylindric, 2-6 by 1.2-1.5 cm, apex with a reflexed 3-5 mm beak. Seeds nearly ellipsoid, 1-1.5 cm, one end or both ends truncate; testa bright red; endotesta brown. [from Flora of China]

Ecology
Evergreen broad-leaved forests, along rivers; 300-1000 m.

Uses
This species is used for timber.

Distribution
Southern China and North Vietnam.

Local names
China: Ku zi han xiao.