Fortunearia sinensis

Fortunearia is in the witch-hazel or Hamamelidaceae family and is native to Central and eastern China. It is a medium-sized shrub or small tree growing to 5 m tall.

• Young branches have gray-brown hairs; older growth dries brown or gray-brown, is glabrous and with sparse lenticels; buds are minute, naked, stellately pubescent.
• Leaf blade is obovate or obovate-oblong, 7–16 cm long and 4–10 cm across; leaves dark green, base rounded or obtuse, margin dentate, apex acute; there are 6–10 lateral veins on each side; petiole is 4–10 mm long.
• Flowers are noteworthy for blooming in very early spring, displaying a terminal raceme of flowers with showy red anthers before most other plants are in bloom.
• Fruit is an obovoid-globose capsule, 12–15 mm across, 2-valved, pointed at the top, with capsules connected in a string.