Cornus rugosa

Roundleaf dogwood
Branch with fruit and leaves

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Cornus
Subgenus: Kraniopsis
Species: C. rugosa
Binomial name
Cornus rugosa
Lam.
Range within North America
Synonyms

Swida rugosa

Cornus rugosa, commonly called roundleaf dogwood, is a deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada.[2]

Description

Cornus rugosa is a shrub or small tree, 1-4m tall, with yellowish-green twigs that may have red or purple blotches. Pith is white. Leafs are oppositely arranged, round orbicularly shaped with an acuminate tip, have an entire margin, and are woolly to hairless below.[3] Leafs have 6-8 pairs of lateral veins and 7–15 cm long. Leaf scars are broadly U shaped with 3 bundle scars.

White flowers appear in early summer arranged on flat topped cymes. The flowers themselves are pedunculate with 4 calyx lobes and 4 petals. The cymes are 3–6 cm wide and contain 20-50 flowers. Fruits are blue to greenish white drupe that matures in October.[4][5]

Roundleaf dogwood prefers well drained to normal moisture soil and, like most dogwoods, is shade tolerant.[6]

Ecology

Roundleaf dogwood is a host species for the spring azure and gossamer wings.[6]

Fruits are eaten by ruffed grouse, sharptailed grouse. Twigs are consumed by white tailed deer, Eastern cottontail, and mice.[3]

Conservation

Roundleaf dogwood is listed as endangered in Maryland and is a species of special concern in Rhode island[2]

References

  1. "Natureserv explorer". Cornus rugosa. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Cornus rugosa". USDA plants database. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Peterson, George A. Petrides ; illustrations by George A. Petrides, Roger Tory (1986). A field guide to trees and shrubs : northeastern and north-central United States and southeastern and south-central Canada (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-13651-2.
  4. Rhoads, Block. The Plants of Pennsylvania (2 ed.). ISBN 978-0-8122-4003-0.
  5. "Cornus rugosa". Northern ontario plant database. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Plant detail: Cornus rugosa". Native plants database. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
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