Japan Flora: Tall tree with scabrous branches when young; leaves rather thin, ovate to narrowly so, 5-10 cm. long, 3-6 cm. wide, long- acuminate, obtusely rounded at base, acutely toothed, 3-nerved from the base, scabrous and green above, short appressed-pilose beneath, the lateral nerves 7 to 12 pairs, ending in a tooth, the petioles 5-10 mm. long; flowers green, small; drupe ovoid-globose, short appressed-pilose, black when mature, 7-8 mm. across, the pedicels 7-8 mm. long. May. Lowlands and hills;
Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; common. Korea and China.
Korea Flora: Deciduous tree, height 20m, diameter 2m. Winter buds and branchlets with well-developed pubescence. Winter buds elongate-ovoid, apex acute, with 6-10 scales, terminal and lateral buds similar (4-6mm long), leaf scars triangular or crescent-shaped. Leaves alternate, narrowly ovate, long caudate-acuminate, broadly cuneate at base, 5-10cm × 3-6cm, margin with sharp serration, upper surface very scabrous, lower surface with short branched hairs, lateral veins 7-12 pairs extending completely to teeth, petiole 5-10mm long. Flowers monoecious, staminate flowers in cymes from leaf axils at base of new shoots, green with 5 sepals and 5 stamens; pistillate flowers 1-2 in leaf axils of upper portion of new shoots, with 5 petals and 2 stigmas. Fruit and seeds drupe ovoid-globose with short branched hairs, 7-8mm in diameter, black, flesh sweet. Fruit stalk 7-8mm long.
Sporophyte chromosome number: 26, 28. Flowering period: May Fruiting period: Early September-Late October Distribution: Southern China, southern and western Honshu-Okinawa, Japan; In Korea: coastal islands of South Jeolla-do and South Gyeongsang-do, Jeju Island, Ulleung Island
Ecological characteristics: Semi-shade tolerant but closer to light-demanding, grows well in moist soils of plains or below mid-mountain slopes. Roots shallow with many branches. Grows together with Celtis sinensis, Zelkova serrata, and Carpinus tschonoskii.