Itoa orientalis

A tree that grows up to 13 m (43 ft) high. It has branchlets (small branches) that are covered with yellowish hairs when young and later become glabrous and lenticellate (having lens-like areas on the surface). The leaves are evergreen, 9–42 cm (4–17 in) long and 5–18 cm (2–7 in) wide. They are elliptic to obovate or broad-lanceolate in shape. With the upper surface of the leaf, largely glabrous and the lower surface with stiff hairs, particularly on the veins. The leaves have 10–26 secondary veins on each side of the midrib, with margins almost entire to regularly crenate or serrate and an apex that is acute or emarginate. The petiole (stalk of the leaf) is 1.5–6 cm (1–2 in) long and pubescent. It begins blossoming between May and June, with clusters of curious yellow buff flowers. The staminate (male flower, flower with stamens but no pistil) inflorescences are paniculate (male flower, flower with stamens but no pistil), about 5 cm long with about 12 flowers. The axes (stems) are pubescent (covered with short, soft hairs). The staminate flowers are ribbed and densely tomentose (covered in matted hairs) in bud. The pistillate flowers are small and solitary. It begins fruiting (making a seed capsule) between September and October. The seed capsule is pale yellow, ovoid in shape, tomentose, 8–9 cm (3–4 in) long and 4–6 cm (2–2 in) wide with a 6-8-lobed stigma at the tip. …

It is found in broadleaf evergreen forests, in south-eastern China, (including Hainan island and provinces of Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan) and Vietnam, at altitudes between 600 and 1,300 m (2,000 and 4,300 ft) above sea level.

It is grown as an ornamental tree in Australia, Cornwall, UK, and Ireland.

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