Helwingia japonica, a deciduous shrub inhabiting damp locations
along mountain rivers in hills or mountains, trunks are in bundles
and branch well at upperparts and grow to 1-3m in height with smooth
green barks. Leaves are alternate, blades measuring 3-16cm long,
1.5-6cm wide, broad-oblong, with tips tail-like to pointed and bases
obtuse or broadly cuneate. Margins are with shallow serrations, the
tips growing to awns toward glands. Light green flowers set
themselves on approximately central positions of midribs; male flowers 4, and females generally 1, occasionally 2-3.
The flowers measure 4-5mm across, and petals are oval-triangular.
Bloom time: April-May. |