五味子 wu wei zi

Kadsura chinensis Turczaninow, Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 7: 149. 1837; Maximowiczia amurensis Ruprecht; M. chinensis (Turczaninow) Ruprecht ex Maximowicz; Schisandra chinensis var. leucocarpa P. H. Huang & L. H. Zhou.

Young branches lacking wings; leaf-bearing branches elongated. Petiole 0.9-4 cm, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 4.5-8(-10.5) × 2.5-6.5 cm, thinly papery to papery, not glaucous, venation glabrous or rarely adaxially sparsely pubescent, secondary veins (3 or)4-6(or 7) on each side of midvein, base cuneate, attenuate, or rarely broadly cuneate, margin denticulate to serrulate, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers axillary to fugacious bracts at base of young shoots, solitary; peduncle 0.6-2.8 cm (staminate), 0.7-3.5 cm (pistillate), glabrous. Tepals 5-9, white to yellow, largest 6.5-11 × 2-5 mm, glabrous. Staminate flowers: stamens (4 or)5(-7), ± distinct; pollen 6-colpate. Pistillate flowers: carpels 14-40; pseudostyle narrow to ± broadened. Fruit peduncle 2-7.5 cm, glabrous; torus 1.5-9.5 cm; apocarps pinkish red to red, 5-7.5 × 4-6 mm. Seed testa smooth. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 28.

Ravines, slopes, along rivers; 1200-1700 m. Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shanxi [N Japan, Korea, Russia (Far East)].

This species is a horticultural plant with edible fruit. It is used medicinally and for making rope.