Large-leafed elemi
Alias: Elemi, loquat tree, fan tree, French loquat
Family: Elemi, family Monotropae
Scientific name: Terminalia catappa
Although it is a relative, but the difference in the size of the leaves is very big, and the large-leafed elemi will have obvious changes in the red and deciduous leaves, which is one of the rare red-leafed plants in Taiwan's flatland. It is one of the rare red-leaved plants in Taiwan's flatlands, but the small-leaved elemi doesn't have such obvious color changes! The branches and leaves of the olive are arranged in horizontal whorls, appearing to be one layer at a time. This special branching structure is staggered, making the olive tree three-dimensional and regular, and allowing the olive to get more sunlight, which is an important factor in making the olive a dominant tree species on the Kenting Coast. Flowering in summer, with axillary spikes, the drupe is flat-ellipsoid, with two ridges.
Origin and distribution: Hainan Island, Guangdong, Guangxi and other tropical and subtropical areas, Taiwan Hengchun coast and Lan Yu. India, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Pacific islands.
Morphological Characteristics: Traits:Semi-deciduous tree.
Leaves: single leaf clustered at the tip, obovate entire, with a pair of dense lines at the base of the leaf, about 20-25 centimeters long.
Flowers: Calyx clock-like, white five-lobed, inflorescences in spikes, monoecious.
Fruit: drupe, peripheral keel raised, flattened ellipsoid.
Growth habit: Prefers high temperatures and humidity, and tolerates salt.
Landscape use:The new shoots are bright green in the spring,and change to yellow or red in the fall and winter before the leaves fall,it is very beautiful,the tree is graceful,and the main use is garden beautification.
Supplementary information: 1. Folkloric use of deciduous leaves to cure liver disease is effective. The rind can be used as a dye.
2. Ornamental garden, sapwood and heartwood can be used as building materials, seeds can be eaten or oil.
3.