Aucuba japonica

Thunberg

Nov. Gen. Pl., 62. 1783.

Common names: Aucuba Japanese-laurel spotted-laurel
IntroducedIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 554.

Shrubs 1–3 m. Leaves: blade usually narrowly elliptic to ovate-elliptic, seldom widely lanceolate, 8–20 × 5–12 cm, base subrounded or broadly cuneate, margins dentate on distal 1/2 or entire, apex acuminate, abaxial surface light green, adaxial surface green, sometimes yellow-variegated, glossy. Inflorescences: staminate 7–10 cm, pistillate (1–) 2–3 cm. Flowers: petals valvate, purplish red to dark red, ovate to ovatelanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 3.5–4.5 × 2–2.5 mm, apex acuminate; nectary slightly 4-lobed, fleshy. Drupes ovoid, 2 cm. 2n = 16, 32.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Thickets, brushy hillsides, near botanical gardens, suburban woodlands.
Elevation: 0–200 m.

Distribution

V12 37-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; N.C., Wash., e Asia (se China), e Asia (Japan), e Asia (Korea), e Asia (Taiwan), also in Europe, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia

Discussion

Aucuba japonica has been cultivated in the United States for nearly a century, but naturalized plants appear to be recent escapes from cultivation in Orange County, North Carolina (A. S. Weakley 2012), and King County, Washington (P. F. Zika and A. L. Jacobson 2005).

Frequently planted cultivars of Aucuba japonica with dark green and yellow variegated leaves are var. variegata Dombrain.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Aucuba japonica"
yellow-variegated +  and green +
dorsifixed +
acuminate +
Guy L. Nesom +
Thunberg +
cuneate +  and subrounded +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
pinnate +, dentate +, serrate +  and entire +
lanceolate;usually narrowly elliptic;ovate-elliptic +
coriaceous +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
distinct +
Aucuba +, Japanese-laurel +  and spotted-laurel +
N.C. +, Wash. +, e Asia (se China) +, e Asia (Japan) +, e Asia (Korea) +, e Asia (Taiwan) +, also in Europe +, Pacific Islands (New Zealand) +  and Australia +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
0–200 m. +
pistillate +  and staminate +
black +  and red +
cylindric;ovoid +
Thickets, brushy hillsides, near botanical gardens, suburban woodlands. +
pistillate +  and staminate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
intrastaminal +
purplish red;dark red +
distinct +
3.5mm;4.5mm +
ovate;ovatelanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
Flowering Mar–Apr. +
Nov. Gen. Pl., +
connate +  and distinct +
rudimentary +
triangular;suborbiculate +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
free +  and distinct +
2(-4)-lobed +
distinct +
cylindric +
Aucuba japonica +
species +