Cornus hongkongensis

Family: Cornaceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub or tree. It grows 5-15 m high. The young branches have short brown hairs. The leaves are opposite and thickly leathery. They are narrowly oval and 6-12 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. They taper to the tip. The flowers are yellow and in crowded heads. There are 4 white bracts around the flowers. The fruit is round and yellow or red. They are on stalks 4-10 cm long.

There are about 45 Cornus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in evergreen broad-leaved forests between 600-1800 m altitude in China. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit is edible and used for making wine.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Shan Lung Ngan, Xiang gang si zao hua

Synonyms

Benthamia japonica Siebold & Zuccarini var. sinensis Bentham; Benthamia hongkongensis (Hemsley) Nakai; Benthamidia hongkongensis (Hemsley) H. Hara; Cynoxylon hongkongense (Hemsley) Nakai; Dendrobenthamia hongkongensis (Hemsley) Hutchinson; Dendrobenthamia latibracteata W. P. Fang & Hsieh;