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Swamp Dogwood or Stiff Dogwood
Cornus foemina Mill.
(KORN-us FEM-i-na)
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General:
A small, deciduous tree
of the wetlands, Swamp Dogwood seldom grows more than 8 m. (25 ft.)
tall. Its species name, foemina, means “feminine.” The
rather long branches give it a graceful appearance. The fruits
provide food for wildlife, and a tea from the bark has been used
medicinally.
Flowers/Fruit:
Rather flat clusters
(cymes) of small white flowers are from 3-7 cm. wide. The
individual flowers have linear to lanceolate petals, no obvious bracts
and 4 stamens. The fruits are light blue drupes containing an
oblong seed.
Leaves/Stems:
The opposite, simple,
elliptic to ovate leaves are 4-10 cm. (2-4 in.) long, and lanceolate to
elliptic with a tapering point. The wavy margin is entire.
The upper surface is pubescent, while the lower surface has appressed
trichomes (flattened hairs).
Distribution:
It prefers swamps, wet hammocks and
floodplain forests ranging throughout North Florida south to Lee and
Hendry counties, then along the Coastal Plain to Texas and Virginia.
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