This time, I've a species from the
Adoxaceae family for you. This species is Viburnum
rhytidophyllum Hemsl.; known as
“Runzelblättriger Schneeball” or “Immergrüner Schneball” in
German and as “Leatherleaf Viburnum” in English. The Chinese name
is 皱叶荚蒾,
which means “wrinkled leafed Viburnum”.
V. rhytidophyllum - habitus
It's
an evergreen shrub or tree, which can reach a height of 4 metres (13.1 feet). The
bark has a greyish colour and young branches are covered with hairs.
Because of these hairs, the branches have a yellowish or reddish
colour. Later, these hairs fall off and the branches are getting
bald.
V. rhytidophyllum - leaf (dorsal site)
The
lanceolate leaves are arranged in a decussate leaf-pattern. They have
no stipules but a long petiole, which is also very hairy. The
leaf-blade of young leaves is reddish to brownish but gets a deep
green colour on the shiny dorsal site, when the leaves become older. The
ventral site is always brighter. Both sides of the leaf-blade are
very leathery and deeply furrowed by the leaf-veins. This leathery
leaves are also the reason for the scientific name (“rhytidophyllum”
means something like “leathery leafed”).
V. rhytidophyllum - inflorescnece
The
inflorescence is a umbel-like cyme with many small, radial flowers.
V. rhytidophyllum is dioecious, but in the most case, only the
flowers in the centre of the inflorescence are fertile while the
peripheral flowers are sterile. In both cases, each flower consists
of five green sepals and five white petals. The sepals are fused to a
tubular structure and also covered with (star-shaped) hairs. The
petals are also fused but nearly bald. Flowering time is from April
to May.
The
fruits are red drupes, but they change the colour to black with the
time.
V. rhytidophyllum - leaves (different ages)
V. rhytidophyllum is
native to central and Southern China and can be found in the
undergrowth of forests. The species is very undemanding towards the
growing conditions and grows in heights between 700 and 2400 metres.
As evergreen shrub with large inflorescences and distinctive leaves,
it's also a very popular ornamental plant for gardens and parks;
especially for hedges in order to block the line of sight.