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Cornus rugosa - (image 1 of 5)

Taxonomy

Family: Cornaceae

Habitat

Shaded rocky slopes. Also occurs on shaded dune slopes and clay slopes.

Associates

Aralia nudicaulis, Celastrus scandens, Mitella diphylla, Solidago flexicaulis, Thalictrum dioicum, Tilia americana.

Distribution

Quebec west to northern Ontario and Manitoba, south to NJ, PA, northern OH, northern IN, and IA, and in mountain to VA..

Morphology

Shrub or small tree to 4 m; twigs glabrous or nearly so, yellow or yellow-green with dark purple spots; pith white. Leaves opposite, nearly orbicular, 7-12 cm, abruptly acuminate, broadly cuneate or rounded at the base, white hairy to merely strigose below; lateral veins 3-4 on a side, often arising from the lower half of the blade. Flowers in flat or slightly convex, open cymes. Fruits pale blue, 6 mm.     

Notes

Flowers late May to late June

Wetland indicator: Upland

Specialized habitat requirements limits the distribution of this species. The fall color is quite good, ranging from purple to red-orange.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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