Status of
Firmiana simplex (Sterculiaceae) in Hong Kong is interesting.
F. simplex is a very famous Chinese tree which is commonly cultivated in most parts of China where it is also originated from. However, most of the official literatures suggest wild populations of
F. simplex in Hong Kong appear to be naturalized from cultivated individuals but not truly wild. Personally I am not convinced very much by this as many individuals are found far away from the hiking paths or main roads but in the valley. There is not many exotic woody species could invade into a new environment as successful as this. Also, wild populations of
F. simplex are mainly concentrated to the Eastern part of Hong Kong but not the central and western regions. All these evidences seem not a natural consequence of naturalization of cultivated species but more likely to be true wild populations.
Podocarpus macrophyllus shows a similar distribution in Hong Kong. Is this kind of biased distribution because of the oceanic micro-climate from the Eastern side of Hong Kong?
Firmiana simplex resembles
Vernicia montana quite much if flower or fruit is not available. They are actually belonging to different family. The former is from Sterculiaceae while the latter is Euphorbiaceae. Glands are often present at the leaf base in Euphorbiaceae but lacked in Sterculiaceae. From the above picture, glands are absent at the leaf base which is a very useful clue to rule
V. montana out. Also,
F. simplex is sometimes called 青桐 (literally means tree with greenish bark). Picture below shows a very typical appearance of the bark of
F. simplex.
Status of Firmiana simplex (Sterculiaceae) in Hong Kong is interesting. F. simplex is a very famous Chinese tree which is commonly cultivated in most parts of China where it is also originated from. However, most of the official literatures suggest wild populations of F. simplex in Hong Kong appear to be naturalized from cultivated individuals but not truly wild. Personally I am not convinced very much by this as many individuals are found far away from the hiking paths or main roads but in the valley. There is not many exotic woody species could invade into a new environment as successful as this. Also, wild populations of F. simplex are mainly concentrated to the Eastern part of Hong Kong but not the central and western regions. All these evidences seem not a natural consequence of naturalization of cultivated species but more likely to be true wild populations. Podocarpus macrophyllus shows a similar distribution in Hong Kong. Is this kind of biased distribution because of the oceanic micro-climate from the Eastern side of Hong Kong?
Firmiana simplex resembles Vernicia montana quite much if flower or fruit is not available. They are actually belonging to different family. The former is from Sterculiaceae while the latter is Euphorbiaceae. Glands are often present at the leaf base in Euphorbiaceae but lacked in Sterculiaceae. From the above picture, glands are absent at the leaf base which is a very useful clue to rule V. montana out. Also, F. simplex is sometimes called 青桐 (literally means tree with greenish bark). Picture below shows a very typical appearance of the bark of F. simplex.
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