Korea Flora: Evergreen small tree. Height 7m. Often branching from the base to form a shrub-like appearance. Bark grayish-brown, smooth. Winter buds and young shoots: Flower buds broadly ovoid, bud scales 5-7, inner surface densely white-hairy, leaf buds conical. Young shoots brown.  Leaves alternate, elliptical or oblong, apex acuminate, base broadly cuneate, margin with wavy fine serrations, size 5-12cm × 3-7cm. Upper surface dark green and glossy, lower surface yellowish-green. Petiole 2-15mm long, glabrous. Flowers solitary in leaf axils or at branch tips, without pedicels. Flowers half-open, red. Bracteoles round with short white hairs on the outer surface. 5 sepals, 1-2cm long, circular-ovate. 5-7 petals, fused at base, 30-50mm long, fused with stamens. Numerous stamens with white filaments and yellow anthers. Ovary glabrous, style divided into 3.  Capsule globose, 3-4cm in diameter, 3-chambered, containing dark brown seeds.

Sporophyte chromosome numbers: 29, 30, 32, 45, 60

Flowering: January-March

Fruiting:  September-October

Distribution: Eastern China including Shandong and Zhejiang, Taiwan, Japan from Honshu to Okinawa; Hwanghae, Chungcheongnamdo, Jeollanamdo, Jeollabukdo, Gyeongsangnamdo, and Gyeongsangbukdo in Korea.

Ecological characteristics: Very shade-tolerant, grows well on fertile, sloping areas in valleys. Also thrives on coastal rocks. Highly adaptable to various environments.
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