Ternstroemia nitida Merr.

Shrubs or trees, 2-8(-12) m tall. Bark grayish brown, smooth. Young branches grayish brown, glabrous. Petiole 1-1.5 cm, glabrous; leaf blade oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovate, 6-10 × 2.5-4 cm, papery to thinly leathery, abaxially pale green, adaxially dark green, shiny, and becoming blackish brown when dry, both surfaces glabrous, midvein abaxially elevated and adaxially impressed, secondary veins 7-9 on each side of midvein, abaxially obscure, and adaxially slightly impressed, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate. Flowers axillary, usually solitary. Pedicel 1.5-2 cm, slender, glabrous. Male flowers similar to bisexual flowers but ovary reduced to a pistillode. Bisexual flowers: bracteoles ovate-triangular, ca. 2 × 1.7 mm, margin sparsely glandular dentate, apex acute; sepals ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-5 × 2.5-3.5 mm, both surfaces golden punctate, apex obtuse to rounded; petals white or pale yellow, broadly obovate to oblong-obovate, 5-7 × 4-5 mm, apex rounded; stamens 25-45, 3.5-4.5 mm; anthers oblong, 2-2.5 mm; ovary ovoid, glabrous, 2-loculed with 1 ovule per locule; style apically 2-parted. Fruit purplish red when mature, long ovoid, 10-12 × 8-9 mm. Seeds compressed ovate, 5-6 × 4-5 mm. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.

Anhui, Fujian, N Guangdong, NE Guangxi, E Guizhou, S and W Hunan, Jiangxi, S Zhejiang.

● Forests on mountain slopes or along streams; 200-900 m.