Sarcococca ruscifolia

Shrubs, 1-4 m tall, densely ramified; young branches densely or slightly pubescent; main root and developed fibrous roots present. Petiole 3-6 mm; leaf blade usually ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 3.5-5.5 × 1-2.5 cm, variable in shape and size, sometimes elliptic-ovate, lanceolate, or narrowly lanceolate, smaller 2-3 × 0.7-1.2 cm, narrower 4-7 × 0.7-1.4 cm, larger 6-7 × 2.5-3 cm, thinly leathery, lucid green adaxially, light green abaxially, base cuneate or rounded, apex acute or acuminate; midrib elevated adaxially, puberulent near base, basal lateral veins a pair to triplinerved. Inflorescences short racemes, 1-2 cm; rachis puberulent; bracts lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate. Flowers white, fragrant. Male flowers 2-7, inserted on major part of rachis; male flowers in basal part pedicellate, pedicels ca. 2 mm, bracteoles 2, ovate, 1-2 mm; male flowers in apical part subsessile, sometimes ebracteolate; tepals usually 4, rarely 3 or 5, ca. 3 mm, outer tepals ovate, acuminate, inner tepals broadly elliptic or broadly ovate, rounded, mucronate; stamens ca. 7 mm. Female flowers 2-5, inserted in basal part of rachis, flower and pedicel 6-8 mm; bracteoles several, imbricate, narrowly ovate; tepals 1.5-2 mm. Capsule globose, 7-8 mm in diam., scarlet or black-brown; persistent styles 2 or 3, ca. 2 mm. Fl. and fr. Oct-Feb.

Syntype for Sarcococca ruscifolia Stapf
Catalog Number: US 800487
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): A. Henry
Year Collected: 1885
Locality: Hubei, China, Asia-Temperate