Cornus officinalis - Cornus officinalis

Japanese: サンシュユ - さんしゅゆ

It is a deciduous tree of the Cornaceae family (APG classification: Cornaceae), 4-10 meters tall. It is found in northern, central and western China, as well as the Korean peninsula. It was introduced to Japan in the mid-Edo period and has been widely planted as a flowering tree in early spring. It has lush branches, dark purple-brown twigs arranged opposite each other, and light brown bark that peels off in thin flakes. The leaves are stalked, arranged opposite each other, ovate or oblong-ovate, 4-12 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. They are entire, with a long pointed tip and a wedge-shaped base. There are 5-7 pairs of lateral veins that run parallel to each other in an arch. The underside of the leaves is covered with white hairs, and there are yellowish-brown hairs next to the prominent veins. Before the leaves appear, umbels are produced at the ends of the branches from the previous year, and 20-30 small yellow flowers bloom. The globular inflorescences are 4-7 mm in diameter, and have four tough brown bracts at the bottom. There are four petals, four stamens, one pistil, and an inferior ovary. The drupe is elliptical, 1-1.5 cm long, ripens red in August-September, and contains one or two seeds.

[Motoo Nagasawa March 22, 2021]

Medicinal

The dried fruit, which is ripe and has the pit removed, is called sanshuyu, and in traditional Chinese medicine it is used as an astringent and tonic to treat lower back pain, tinnitus, nocturnal emission, impotence, diabetes, etc. It contains malic acid and tartaric acid, so it has a sour taste. Sanshuyu wine, which is soaked in alcohol, is said to have a tonic effect.

[Motoo Nagasawa March 22, 2021]

Cornus officinalis
In March and April, before the leaves appear, umbels appear at the ends of the branches, and 20 to 30 small yellow flowers bloom. ©Shogakukan Photo by Masatoshi Hirose ">

Cornus officinalis

Cornus fruit
The drupes are elliptical and 1-1.5cm long. They ripen to a red color in autumn and are also called Akisango (Axanthaceae) due to their beauty. They are used in traditional Chinese medicine. ©Seishohmaru ">

Cornus fruit

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ミズキ科（APG分類：ミズキ科）の落葉小高木で、高さ4～10メートル。中国の華北、華中、西部のほか朝鮮半島に分布する。日本には江戸時代中期に導入され、早春の花木として広く植栽されてきた。枝はよく茂り、小枝は暗紫褐色で対生し、樹皮は淡褐色で薄片となってはげ落ちる。葉は有柄で対生し、卵形または長卵形で、長さ4～12センチメートル、幅2～5センチメートル。全縁で先端は長くとがり、基部はくさび形である。5～7対の側脈は弧を描いて平行に走る。葉の裏面は白色伏毛(ふくもう)で覆われ、突出した葉脈のわきに黄褐色の毛がある。葉の出る前に前年の枝先に散形花序を出し、20～30個の黄色の小花を開く。球形の花序は径4～7ミリメートルで、その下部に4個の褐色の堅い包葉がある。花弁は4枚。雄しべは4本、雌しべは1本で子房は下位。核果は楕円(だえん)形で長さ1～1.5センチメートル、8～9月に赤熟し、核の中に1～2個の種子をもつ。

［長沢元夫　2021年3月22日］