Skip to main content

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.

Dlium White champaca (Magnolia alba)


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.



Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Species: Magnolia alba

Popular Posts

Rose taro (Alocasia roseus) from Aceh, Indonesia, similar to Alocasia flemingiana and Alocasia arifolia

NEWS - Rose taro ( Alocasia roseus Asih & Yuzammi, sp. nov.) from Aceh Besar District, Sumatra (Indonesia) was found to produce a striking inflorescence and is morphologically similar to Alocasia flemingiana Yuzammi & A.Hay and Alocasia arifolia Hallier f. Alocasia (Schott) G.Don (Araceae Juss.) consists of 100 species, but recent studies suggest there may be 41 additional undescribed species. The genus is distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia from Malesia to Oceania and mainland Australia. Borneo is considered to have the richest Alocasia diversity and endemism. However, the diversity and distribution of Alocasia is poorly understood in the Indonesian archipelago with about 27 known species. Prior to this study, there were 7 species recognized in Sumatra. Knowledge of Alocasia in Sumatra is inadequate. The last taxonomic revision was conducted over 25 years ago which recognized 6 taxa of Sumatran Alocasia: Alocasia alba Schott, Alocasia arifolia , Alocasia inornata

Kirlia aphid (Chaitoregma kirlia) from China named a character from Pokémon series

NEWS - Kirlia aphid ( Chaitoregma kirlia sp. nov.) from Fujian (Mount Wuyishan) and Guangdong (Mount Lianhuashan), China, has a pair of front horns that eat bamboo and is nicknamed “kirlia”, a character from the popular Pokémon series, in honor of the graceful and elegant nature of this new species. Chaitoregma Hille Ris Lambers & Basu 1966 with Oregma tattakana Takahashi 1925 as the type species is a small genus in the Cerataphidini (Aphididae, Hormaphidinae). Currently only 2 species and 1 subspecies (non-nominotypical): Chaitoregma tattakana tattakana (Takahashi, 1925), Chaitoregma tattakana suishana (Takahashi, 1929) and Chaitoregma aderuensis (Takahashi, 1935). C. kirlia forms large colonies on the underside of host leaves and may be inhabited by ants, Crematogaster sp. In the wild, it has been observed that in addition to the purple individuals of this new species in the colonies, there are sometimes a few yellow individuals that are thought to be mixed colonies with anot

Qiyunshan cellar spider (Khorata qiyunshanensis) from China found in the twilight zone of a cave

NEWS - Qiyunshan cellar spider ( Khorata qiyunshanensis Zhou, sp. nov.) from Jiangxi Qiyunshan National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi, China, discovered during a spider survey conducted in June 2024 was confirmed as a new species to science based on morphological comparison. Khorata Huber 2005 contains 52 species distributed in Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, of which about 34 species have been recorded from China. K. qiyunshanensis was found in the twilight zone of an unnamed artificially excavated cave or among Xiangluba cliffs (webs between rocks). The new species can be easily distinguished from all known congeners by bulb oval shape and fawn, embolus length equal to bulb; procursus proximal slightly curved, odontoid protuberance on the lateral distally bearing scales and three small angular apophyses. Chelicerae with pair of proximo-lateral apophyses, pair of distal apophyses on front-lateral surface middle, pair of strong frontal apophyses, inward bending hooked frontal a