Ardisia 



MYRSINACEAL 



Embetia 



1. Ardisia Swartz ji^g (Tzu Chin Niu Shu) 



Evergreen trees or shrubs with fls. usually umbellate or subumbellate; corolla 



generally 5-merous, convolute in the bud; stamens with very short broad filaments 



and large anthers opening by slits; ovary superior: fr. a 1-seeded drupe. 200 species, 



in warm countries; 35 in China. (Greek: ardis, point; referring to the pointed anthers.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Lf. margins entire or crisped, with resinous marginal glands, not 



serrate; stems essentially erect but sometimes from creeping 



rhizomes. 



b. Brts., petioles and lower lf. surfaces puberulent or minutely so; 



stems less than 40 cm. high. 



Lvs with 12-15 pairs of distinct lateral nerves sometimes uniting 



in an irregular nerve not close to margin 1. A. brevicaulis 



Lvs. with about 4 pairs of rather indistinct lateral nerves not 



uniting 2 - A - affinis 



bb. Brts., petioles and lower lf. surfaces glabrous or essentially so; 

 stems up to 1.5 m. high. 

 Lf. blades rather coriaceous, distinctly punctate beneath; later- 

 al nerves usually 12-20 pairs, usually uniting in a distinct 



marginal nerve 3. A. crenata 



Lf. blades thinner, obscurely punctate beneath; lateral nerves 



usually 5-12, not uniting in a distinct marginal nerve 4. A. crispa 



aa. Lf. margins serrate, without resinous marginal glands; stems de- 

 cumbent or creeping. 

 Sepals ovate or lanceolate, much shorter than the petals; brts., 

 pedicels and petioles with minute or closely appressed pubes- 

 cence 5. A. japonica 



Sepals lanceolate, nearly equaling petals; brts., pedicels, petioles 



and lower leaf surfaces with long crisped hairs 6. A. pusilla 



1. Ardisia brevicaulis Diels (Ph. J. 73:105). Shrub, 10-20 cm. high; fls. white or 

 pink, VI; fr. red, X. Szechuan and Yunnan to Formosa; locally in Hun., Hup., 

 Ki. Forest. 



2. Ardisia affinis Hemsl. (Ph. J. 73:99). Erect shrub, to 40cm. high; fls. pink, VI- 

 VII; fr. red, X. South China; locally in Ki. Streamsides. 



3. Ardisia crenata Sims (Ph. J. 73:112). Erect shrub, to 1.5 m.; fls. white or pink, 

 VI-VII; fr. dark red, IX-X. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki. 

 Forest and widely cultivated. 



4. Ardisia crispa (Thunb.) A.DC. fa&U (Chu Sha Ken) (Ph. J. 73:118). Shrub, to 

 1.5m.; fls. white or pink, VI-VII; fr. red or black, about 10mm. in diam., XI. 

 Japan, China; locally in An., Hun., Hup., Ki. Forest. 



5. Ardisia japonica (Hornst.) Blume %&*$ (Tzu Chin Niu; Purple-gold Cow) (Ph. J. 

 73:134). Decumbent shrub, to 0.4m.; fls. white or pink, VI-VII; fr. red, IX-V. 

 Japan, China; locally in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Forest shade. Fig. 284. 



6. Ardisia pusilla A.DC. (Ph. J. 73:132). Decumbent shrub, to 0.3 m.; fls. purple, 

 VI; fr. red, X. Southeastern Asia, Philippines; locally in Ki. Forest shade. 



2. Embelia Burm. f. &%M (An P'ei Shu) 

 Shrubs, usually forest lianas, rarely small trees, with simple entire or serrate 



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