Machilus thunbergii

{{Short description|Species of plant in the genus Machilus}}

{{Speciesbox

|image=Machilus thunbergii in Hiroshima Castle.jpg

|image_caption=In Hiroshima Castle

|image2=Machilus thunbergii.jpg

|image2_caption=Close up of leaves

|genus=Machilus

|species=thunbergii

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Liu, B. |author2=Liu, H. |author3=Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). |author4=IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group |date=2019 |title=Machilus thunbergii |volume=2019 |page=e.T147638804A147638806 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T147638804A147638806.en |access-date=18 November 2021}}

|authority=Siebold & Zucc.

|synonyms_ref=

|synonyms={{Collapsible list|

• Laurus indica Thunb.
• Machilus arisanensis (Hayata) Hayata
• Machilus kwashotensis Hayata
• Machilus nanshoensis Kaneh.
• Machilus taiwanensis Kamik.
• Persea arisanensis (Hayata) Kosterm.
• Persea thunbergii (Siebold & Zucc.) Kosterm.

}}}}

Machilus thunbergii (syn. Persea thunbergii), the Japanese bay tree, red machilus, or tabunoki, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Lauraceae.{{cite web |url=https://www.nippon.com/en/views/b05302 |title=Deepening Summer: Ancient Trees in the Season of Heat |last1=Takahashi |first1=Hiroshi |date=10 August 2017 |website=nippon.com |publisher=Nippon Communications Foundation |access-date=6 August 2021 }} It is native to Vietnam, Taiwan, southeast and north-central China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan.{{cite web |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:466273-1 |title=Machilus thunbergii Siebold & Zucc. |author= |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=6 August 2021 }} A sturdy evergreen tree, usually {{cvt|10|–|15|m|ft|-1}} tall, and reaching {{cvt|20|m|ft|-1}}, it is used for timber, and as a street tree.{{cite journal |year=2019 |volume=35 |issue=4 |last1=Jo |first1=Hyun-Kil |last2=Kim |first2=Jin-Young |last3=Park |first3=Hye-Mi |title=Carbon Reduction Services of Evergreen Broadleaved Landscape Trees for Ilex rotunda and Machilus thunbergii in Southern Korea |journal=Journal of Forest and Environmental Science |doi=10.7747/JFES.2019.35.4.240 }} Its bark is the source of makko, a powder used to make a mosquito{{nbh}}repelling incense.{{cite journal |title=A butanolide and phenolics from Machilus thunbergii |year=1991 |last1=Karikome |first1=Hiroyuki |last2=Mimaki |first2=Yoshihiro |last3=Sashida |first3=Yutaka |journal=Phytochemistry |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=315–319 |doi=10.1016/0031-9422(91)84145-I |bibcode=1991PChem..30..315K }} It prefers coastal areas, and can handle saline soil.

{{Gallery

|IncenseWikiVers.jpg|Makko powder, top left

|M thunbergii.JPG|Flowers

|File:후박나무.JPG|As a street tree in South Korea

|Machilus thunbergii - Chengdu Botanical Garden - Chengdu, China - DSC03354.JPG|Sapling at the Chengdu Botanical Garden

|Hasaki's big Machilus thunbergii ("Hasaki no O-tabu") - 2.jpg|Hasaki no O-tabu

|Huma-Machilus thunbergii,chiba,japan.JPG|As an object of veneration, Japan

}}