Aphananthe aspera

scabrous species

Cannabaceae › Aphananthe

Scabrous aphananthe or muku tree is in the cannabis or Cannabaceae family and is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. It can grow up to 25 m tall.

  • Leaves are deciduous, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm across, margin serrate, tip pointed to narrowly-pointed, 3-veined from base, with 6–10 secondary veins on each side of midvein, extending to margin, each ending in a tooth; petiole is 0.5-1.5 cm long. Leaves somewhat resemble those of the hackberry (Celtis) genus.
  • Male and flowers are found in the axils of young branches.
  • Drupes are green or black, globose to ellipsoid or ovoid-globose, 0.8-1.3 cm long and 0.6-0.9 cm across, pubescent, with 5-10 mm stocks.
  • Bark is brown or grayish brown, scabrous, longitudinally fissured. Branchlets are yellowish green when young, brownish-red in second year, aging to grayish brown, with distinct rounded lenticels.

Contributors

  • Philippe de Spoelberch