Japan Flora: Small deciduous tree or shrub, gla- brous except sometimes thinly pubescent on the tips of the young branchlets and on the nerves of the leaves beneath, the branchlets often fascicled and partly deciduous in autumn; leaves ovate, 2.5-4 cm. long inclusive of the short petioles, 1-2.5 cm. wide, obtuse to subacute, rounded at base, obtusely serrulate, lustrous, the stipules often spinelike; cymes small, about 10-flowered, axillary and terminal; flowers pale green, 5-6 mm. across; calyx-lobes acute; petals small and recurved at tip; drupe ellipsoidal to globose, 1.5-2.5 cm. in diameter, glabrous, lustrous, smooth, dark reddish brown.  Apr.-May. Spontaneous in se. Europe, s. Asia; often cultivated and semi­naturalized in our area. 

var. inermis (Bunge) Rehd.  Spineless cultivated phase.