Japan Flora: Much-branched dioecious shrub with slender grayish brown branches puberulous while young; leaves oblong to elliptic or obovatc-clliptic, 4-8 cm. long, abruptly acuminate to acute, acute to subcuneate at base, with minute mucronate teeth, puberulous on both surfaces, paler be­neath, the petioles 4-8 mm. long; flowers pale purple to white, about 3.5 mm. across, the pistillate 1-7, the staminate 7-15, fasciculate on very short axillary peduncles, the pedicels 2-4mm. long; fruit red, globose, about 5 mm. long.  June. Wet places in mountains;

Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; com­mon; variable.

var. argutidens (Miq.) Rehder Leaves and branches glabrous. With the typical phase. Frequently cultivated are