Japan Flora: Large erect dioecious shrub or small tree, the branches rather thick, erect, the young branchlets dark purple; leaves evergreen, coriaceous, oblanceolate or lanceolate, 5-12(-19) cm. long, 1-2.5 (-4) cm. wide, obtuse, gradually narrowed at base, entire, glabrous, deep green and lustrous on upper side, the midrib raised beneath, the lateral nerves slender, not prominent, the petioles 2-13 mm. long; flowers few, fasciculate in axils of the last year’s leaves, the pedicels 1-3 mm. long, with scalelike bracts at base; calyx­segments ovate, subobtuse, ciliolate; corolla greenish white, the lobes ovate, spreading-recurved; style thick and short, the stigma ligulate; fruit globose, 6-7 nun. across, purplish black. Apr.

Honshu (Awa Prov. and westw.), Shikoku, Kyu­shu. Ryukyus, Taiwan, China, and Indochina.