Latin name:
Maesa japonica

Chinese name:


Genus:
Maesa

Family:
Myrsinaceae

Growth Habit:
Undershrub

Duration:
Multiperennial

Distribution:
South China, Vietnam, Japan

Height:
The whole plant reaches 1 to 3 m or 5 m.

Leaf:
Leaf hard papyraceous or almost coriaceous; elliptic, narrow elliptic lanceolate, or oblong ovate; 6 to 9 cm
in length and 3 to 5 cm in width; apex acuminate, acute or muticous; base rounded or obtuse, seldom cuneate; almost entire or serrate on the upper; lateral veins 5 to 8 pairs; petiole 5 to
15 mm in length.

Flowers:
Axillary raceme or panicle; usu. solitary, sometimes aggregate; flowers 3 to
5 mm in length; nephroid bractlet, with conspicuous gland-like stripes; calyx, imbricate, ovate to orbiculate; mitriform corolla, white, 3 to 4 mm in length, with gland-like stripes, broad ovate lobe.

Fruits:
Cone or ovoid, 4 to 4.5 mm in diameter, with conspicuous gland-like stripes

Blossom:
Jan to Mar

Comments:
Newborn leaves were taken as tea. Leaves are employed in traditional Chinese medicine to cure seven-year itch.