Illicium lanceolatum, commonly known as Guandong star anise, is a species of flowering plant in the family Schisandraceae. It is a shrub or tree with leathery leaves and red flowers. The species was described in 1947, and is native to China.
Illicium lanceolatum is used to produce essential oils, and in medicine. It is listed as of Least Concern by the IUCN.
Taxonomy Illicium lanceolatum was first described by Albert Charles Smith in 1947.
Distribution Illicium lanceolatum is native to the temperate biome of south-central and south-east China. It is present in the provinces of Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang. The species grows in mixed forests and thickets, at elevations of . The species' estimated extent of occurrence is .
Description Illicium lanceolatum is a shrub or tree up to high. The leaves are arranged in clusters. The leaf stems are long. The leaves are leathery in texture, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or obovate-elliptical in shape, long, and wide.
The flower stems are long. The flowers have ten to fifteen red to dark red tepals. The largest tepals are elliptical to oblong-obovate, fleshy, long, and . The flowers have six to eleven stamens, and ten to fourteen carpels. The plant flowers from April to June.
The fruit stems are long. The plant fruits from August to October.
Uses The fruits and leaves are used to make essential oils. The roots and root bark are used in medicine, although they are toxic.
Conservation In 2018, the IUCN assessed Illicium lanceolatum as of Least Concern. The population is large, and considered stable. The species faces no major threats.
Names In Chinese, the species is known as ().
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