Tetracentron sinense

Tetracentron sinense can grow up to 30m, with diameter at breast height up to 1.5m. The bark is taupe or grayish brown with red tints, and lamellarly falls off. The long branches are terminal, slender, and dark reddish brown when young. The short branches are lateral, spur-like, with superimposed annular leaf scars and bud scale scars at the base. The leaf blades are ovate, heart-shaped, 7-15cm long, 4-11cm wide, apically acuminate, and cordate at the base, with serrated margins. The serrated tips are glandular punctate. Both leaf surfaces are glabrous, slightly glaucous, with 5-7 palmate veins, forming an inconspicuous network near the margin. The petiole is 2-3.5cm long. The flowers are small and numerous in pendulous spikes, growing at the tips of short branches, 1-2mm in diameter. The perianth is light green or yellowish green. The stamens are opposite to the perianth segments, 2.5 times the length of perianth. The anthers are ovate-shaped, longitudinally lobed. The carpels are coadunate along the ventral suture. The fruits are 3-5mm long, oblong, brown, and dehiscent along the dorsal suture. There are 4-6 striped seeds, which are 2-3mm long. It flowers between June-July, and fruits between September-October.