[Greek xylon, wood, and kokkos, berry, alluding to fruit]

Laurence J. Dorr

Shrubs, burled; bark reddish, shredding. Stems spreading to erect, branching, cinereous-tomentulose. Leaves usually alternate, rarely opposite, bifacial; blade narrowly elliptic, elliptic, or ovate, coriaceous, margins entire, strongly revolute, abaxial surface densely white- to cinereous-tomentose, adaxial glabrous. Inflorescences dense panicles, 4-12-flowered, (axis cinereous-tomentulose). Flowers bisexual; sepals persistent, (4-)5, connate basally, ovate; petals (4-)5, connate 1/2+ their lengths, white or pink (rose), corolla urceolate; stamens (8-)10, included; anthers with 2 awns, dehiscent by slitlike pores; filaments elongate, dilated near base, (hairy); ovary (4-)5-locular, (hairy); stigma capitate. Drupes red to almost black, subglobose, dry, with smooth exocarp and thin pulpy layer; pyrenes 5, connate into smooth, solid stone. Seeds 5, connate. x = 13.

Species 1: s California, nw Mexico.

Lower Taxon

• Xylococcus bicolor Nuttall