Dulichapa or Wild magnolia, Magnolia pterocarpa
Dulichapa or Wild magnolia ( Magnolia pterocarpa , family: Magnoliaceae) is an only wild Magnolia of Bangladesh, found in the hilly forests of greater Sylhet and Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts. Outside the country the leafy tree can be found in the North-eastern part of Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. The large evergreen tree can get a height of 15-25 m with a nice rounded canopy. Bark is grey. Young parts are covered with yellowish-brown soft hairs. Other names: Anda chapa (Bang), Nag champaka (Sans). Leaves are large, pale green, 20-40 cm long and 6-10 cm wide, obovate-oblong, coriaceous, mature leaves are glabrous, tip pointed or blunted, petiole, 3-5 cm long, veins 12-18. Flowers are terminal, big, showy, white, scented like most other members of the family; 5-8 cm across, bisexual. Pedicel is thick, 5 cm across and 5 cm long. Petals 6, thick. Sepals 3, outside greenish, inside white. These are caducous, turn brown before falling off the flowers. Flower-buds are beaut...