Helwingia japonica

Description

The genus Helwingia consists of shrubs native to eastern Asia, the Himalayas, and northern Indochina. It is the only genus in the family Helwingiaceae.The plants have alternate leaves and small inflorescences which are epiphyllous (growing from the leaves). They are from temperate regions of eastern Asia: for example China, Nepal, and Japan. The APG II classification (2003) places them in the order Aquifoliales, along with the hollies and Phyllonomaceae. The family Helwingiaceae does not exist in the Cronquist classification (1981), which places this genus in the Cornaceae (dogwood family).