Meliosma oldhamii is often treated as a subspecies of Meliosma pinnata (Roxb.) Maxim.(as Meliosma pinnata oldhamii (Miq.) Beusekom). However, we are following the treatment in the Flora of China[] which treats it as a distinct species.

Common Name:

General Information

Meliosma oldhamii is a deciduous tree with a narrow crown when young, becoming more wide-spreading with age; it can grow up to 20 metres tall but is usually much smaller[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern and eastern China, central and southern Japan, S. Korea

Habitat

Valley forests, mountain forests, humid mountain slopes; at elevations from 300 - 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Height	0.00 m
Pollinators	Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Meliosma oldhamii is not a very cold-hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to around -8°c when dormant

Trees from the Central China population (var. oldhamii) are moderately hardy and are grown as ornamentals in the open under mild temperate climatical conditions; the subspecies is cultivated in N. America and in Europe, amongst others in the Kew Botanic Gardens[].
The pollen ripens and the anther-cells burst while the flower is still in bud, but the pollen is still unable to escape from the anther-cells as these are locked in the cavities of the staminodes. When the bud is fully mature, it explodes at the slightest touch, the stamens snapping backwards and flinging a puff of pollen into the air. When the flower is open, petals and stamens, having done their duty, very soon drop off; hence in a Meliosma panicle almost only buds and passed flowers are found, but very few intact open flowers[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - cooked[].

Medicinal

The stems and stem bark are used traditionally in the treatment of liver ailments[].

The whole plant contains various medicinally active compounds that have cytotoxic properties and are of potential use in the treatment of cancer[].

Other Uses

The white wood is light and soft, fibrous, easily split, with large pores and a beautiful grain, with prominent rays. The heartwood in older trees is striped reddish and white[]. The timber is considered to be worthless commercially, though it is occasionally used locally for purposes such as rafters, clogs, boxes, and small objects[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -