兴山五味子 xing shan wu wei zi

Plants glabrous throughout. Young branches lacking wings; leaf-bearing branches elongated. Petiole 1.2-3.5 cm; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 7-12.5 × 3.5-5.5 cm, papery, not glaucous, secondary veins (4 or)5 or 6(or 7) on each side of midvein, base cuneate to attenuate, margin denticulate to serrulate, apex shortly acuminate to rarely acuminate. Flowers axillary to fugacious bracts at base of young shoots, solitary; peduncle 1.6-3.5 cm (both sexes). Tepals 7 or 8, flesh-pink to deep flesh-pink, largest 1-1.7 × 0.6-1.2 cm. Staminate flowers: stamens 28, ± distinct; pollen 3-colpate. Pistillate flowers: carpels ca. 70; pseudostyle broad. Fruit peduncle 3.5-5 cm; torus 5-11 cm; apocarps red, 8-10.5 × 5.5-8.5 mm. Seed testa smooth. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Aug-Sep.

● Thickets, forests; 1600-2300 m. SW and W Hubei.

This species is used medicinally. The fruit is edible.