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White champaca (Magnolia alba)

Dlium White champaca (Magnolia alba)

Cempaka putih or kantil putih or white champaca (Magnolia × alba) is a species of plant in Magnoliaceae, a large tree, up to 50 meters high, lush, grows in forests and human settlements, white flowers, solitary, fragrant and widely used for traditional ceremonies.

M. alba has a sturdy trunk, large diameter, branching, brown bark, sometimes growing new shoots on old trunks at the base and at the end forming several large vertical trunks that appear to be several trees with a base.



Leaves are oval, elongated, thick, rounded base, pointed tip, a large bone in the middle and several pinnate veins, slightly thickened and slightly wavy margins, dark green and shiny upper surface, lighter lower surface and have a stalk with an enlarged base.

Spear-shaped flower buds, white, green stalk, facing upwards and growing on the end of a branch. The flowers bloom facing upwards, have 8-15 fingers and are white in color. The pistil is erect in the center, is green, has layers and blooms in brown.

Scientists say white champaca is a hybrid of Magnolia champaca and Magnolia montana. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree for its very fragrant flowers. Flowers remain fragrant for several days before wilting. Styled as a flower bouquet for a traditional wedding ceremony.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Subfamily: Magnolioideae
Genus: Magnolia
Section: Michelia
Species: Magnolia × alba (DC.) Figlar in Proc. Int. Symp. Magnoliac. 1: 21 (2000)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Michelia × alba DC. in Syst. Nat. 1: 449 (1817)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Michelia × longifolia Blume in Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunsten 9: 155 (1823)
Michelia × longifolia var. racemosa Blume in Fl. Javae 19-20: 13 (1829)
Sampacca × longifolia (Blume) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl.: 6 (1891)

PUBLICATIONS

Heerdegen, B. & Eisenhut, R. (2019). Magnolien und Tulpenbäume (Magnoliaceae): 1-319. BoD Verlag.

Kiew, R., Chung, R.C.K., Shaw, L.G. & Soepadmo, E. (eds.) (2012). Flora of peninsular Malaysia 3: 1-385. Institut Penyelidikan Perhutanan Malaysia.

Nooteboom, H.P. & Chalermglin, P. (2009). The Magnoliaceae of Thailand. Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 37: 111-138.

VERNACULAR NAME

Assamese: Tita-sopa
Bengali: চম্পা Champa
Chinese (simplified): 白兰
Chinese (traditional): 白玉蘭 - 白蘭 - 玉蘭花
English: White Champaca, White Champa, Cempaka Putih, White Jade Orchid Tree, White Sandalwood, Pak Lan
Filipino: Tsampakang puti
Finnish: Jaavansampaka
Hindi: चंपा Champa
Hong Kong: 白蘭
Indonesian: Cempaka putih
Japanese: ギンコウボク - ギョクラン
Java: Kanthil, Kantil, Kanthil putih, Kantil putih
Kannada: Bili Sampige, Sampige
Konkani: Pudchampo
Macao: 白蘭
Manipuri: Leihao angouba
Marathi: Champa
Nepali: औले चाँप Aule chaanp
Oriya: Chompa
Russian: Магнолия белая
Sanskrit: Champaka
Tamil: சம்பகன் Sambagan
Telugu: Champangi
Thai: จำปี
Urdu: چمپا Champa

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
Web: https://www.dlium.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium

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