草茱萸亚属 cao zhu yu ya shu

Cornus [unranked] Arctocrania Endlicher, Gen. Pl. 798. 1839

Cornus [unranked] Arctocrania Endlicher, Gen. Pl. 798. 1839; Arctocrania (Endlicher) Nakai.

Herblike shrubs, perennial, with vertical stem and creeping rhizomes. Leaves in whorls of 6 near summit of stem (or opposite at all nodes), sessile or shortly petiolate, palmately or pinnately veined, entire. Inflorescence a terminal compound cyme subtended by 4 white or rarely pinkish petaloid bracts. Calyx tubular, 4-dentate. Petals white, dark purple, or purple adaxially, white abaxially, oblong-ovate to ovate, apex of 1 or 2 petals often with a soft awnlike appendage. Stamens 4; filaments short; anthers oblong or oblong-ovoid. Ovary 2-loculed, ovule 1 per locule, pendulous; style cylindrical; stigma capitate, small. Fruit red, globose; stones ellipsoid-ovoid to subglobose.

Three species: circumboreal, from Europe to NE Asia, N North America, also in the high mountains of Myanmar; one species in China.

Lower Taxon

• Cornus canadensis Linnaeus