Inu-umemodoki

Inu-umemodoki (Ilex serrata f. argutidens) is a deciduous broadleaf shrub of the family Aquifoliaceae, genus Ilex, and is endemic to Japan.
It is a variety (forma) of Ilex serrata, commonly known in Chinese as “luò shuāng hóng” (落霜红, literally “frost-fall red”), and in some local references also called “yìng máo dōng qīng” (硬毛冬青, literally “hard-haired holly”).
This variety differs from the typical form by having no hairs on its branches and leaves, and its fruits are not edible. In Chinese botanical references, f. argutidens is generally treated as a morphological variant of Ilex serrata rather than given a distinct common name.

It is a deciduous broadleaf shrub, endemic to Japan, belonging to the Aquifoliaceae family and the Ilex genus. It grows naturally in mountainous areas from Honshu to Kyushu. The shrub reaches a height of 2 to 5 meters, and its bark is gray-brown in color. It has short petioles and elliptic to ovate leaves, 3 to 8 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide. The upper surface of the leaves is green, while the underside is light green, with finely serrated edges. The leaves grow alternately.

This plant is dioecious, with male and female flowers growing on separate plants. From June to July, clusters of pale purple flowers emerge from the leaf axils of current-year shoots. Male flower clusters contain 5 to 20 flowers, while female clusters have 2 to 4 flowers. The flowers have 4 to 5 petals and sepals, each measuring around 0.4 cm in diameter. By September or October, spherical red drupes, about 0.5 cm in diameter, form, each containing 4 to 5 seeds. These fruits persist on the branches after the leaves fall.

Red berries are a favorite of the Brown-eared Bulbul, and they visit frequently.


Left: A Brown-eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) actually perched on this tree. It's blurry, so...Right: A Brown-eared Bulbul from another time.

The name Umemodoki (literally "plum look-alike") refers to its resemblance to the shape of a plum tree (Prunus mume).

Common name: Inu-umemodoki
Scientific name: Ilex serrata f. argutidens
Classification: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Aquifoliaceae family, Ilex genus

Native to: Japan
Habitat: Mountainous regions of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu
Growth type: Deciduous broadleaf shrub
Height: 2-5 m
Bark color: Gray-brown
Leaf length: 3–8 cm, Leaf width: 1.5–3 cm
Flowering season: June to July
Flower color: Pale purple
Fruit season: September to October
Fruit type: Drupe
Fruit color: Red

Related pages
Ilex serrata

■関連ページ
Inu-umemodoki (Ilex serrata f. argutidens)
Umemodoki (Ilex serrata)
Special features: red berries

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