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Celastrus rosthornianus Loes.

Modern name

Celastrus rosthornianus Loes.

A deciduous scandent shrub up to 20 ft high, not downy in any part, young shoots very slender. Leaves shining green, oval-lanceolate to ovate, narrowly to broadly tapered at the base, pointed, finely toothed; 112 to 3 in. long, 1 to 112 in. wide; stalk about 14 in. long. Fruits the size of a small pea, three- or four-valved, orange yellow; they are borne two or three together in the leaf-axils and have stalks 18 to 14 in. long; seed-coat scarlet.

Native of W. China; introduced by Wilson in 1910 (No. 4187). As seen at Kew this is recognisable by its very slender, often pendulous, branches and shining leaves. It bears large crops of its handsome fruits which, after splitting, remain on the shoots until well into the new year, showing the red-coated seeds. Trained up stout stakes it makes a pleasing graceful thicket. Pith lamellate.


Genus

Celastrus

Other species in the genus