Chinese gall
Rhus chinensis Mill.
Rhus chinensis, known as Chinese gall, is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the Anacardiaceae family. It grows up to 6 m (20 ft) tall with downy shoots and compound leaves that turn red in autumn. Native to regions including China, Japan, Korea, and parts of South and Southeast Asia, it is distributed globally. The plant has bisexual or unisexual flowers with four to five stamens and a single style. Its fruit is a woody capsule that splits open from the top. Seeds are large with well-developed cotyledons.
Description
Rhus chinensis is a member of the Anacardiaceae family and is characterized by its compound leaves and showy red autumn foliage. It produces flowers with four to five stamens and a single stigma, arranged in racemose or head-like inflorescences. The plant is commonly found in temperate and subtropical regions across Asia. Its fruits are woody capsules that open from the apex, containing large seeds with well-developed embryos. The species was first described by Mill. in 1768 and is widely recognized for its ornamental and ecological value.
Other common names
Chinese gallnutgallnutgalltreeChinese sumac
Distribution
IT · Italy · TW · Global · Assam · Bangladesh · Cambodia · China North-Central · China South-Central · China Southeast · East Himalaya · Hainan · India · Japan · Korea · Laos · Myanmar · Nansei-shoto · Nepal · Pakistan · Sumatera · Taiwan · Thailand · Tibet · Turkey · Vietnam · West Himalaya
Synonyms
Rhus osbeckiiRhus javanica var. chinensisRhus semialata
