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Skimmia arborescens arborescens (Skimmia arborescens arborescens)

Description

Skimmia is a genus of four species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the Rue family, Rutaceae, all native to warm temperate regions of Asia. The leaves are clustered at the ends of the shoots, simple, lanceolate, 6-21 cm long and 2-5 cm broad, with a smooth margin. The flowers are in dense panicle clusters, each flower small, 6-15 mm diameter, with 4-7 petals. The fruit is red to black, 6-12 mm diameter, a fleshy drupe containing a single seed. All parts of the plant have a pungent aroma when crushed. The botanical name, Skimmia, is a Latinization of shikimi (---, -), which is the Japanese name for Illicium religiosum as well as an element in miyama shikimi (------, ---), the Japanese name for Skimmia japonica.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Sapindales

            • Family: Rutaceae

              • Genus: Skimmia