Skimmia arborescens T. Anders. ex Gamble apud Lacaita

Taylor (Kew Mag. 4: 183-185. 1987) treated Skimmia arborescens as S. arborescens subsp. arborescens, S. euphlebia as S. japonica var. euphlebia, and S. kwangsiensis as S. japonica var. kwangsiensis.

Trees to 8 m tall, d.b.h. to 20 cm. Branches with small but prominent pith. Petiole 1-2 cm; leaf blade elliptic, oblong, or obovate-elliptic, 5-18 × 2-6 cm, papery, glabrous, midvein adaxially prominent, secondary veins 7-10 on each side of midvein. Inflorescences 2-5 cm; rachis puberulent or glabrous; bracts broadly ovate, 1-1.5 mm. Sepals ovate, margin ciliate. Petals 5, yellowish, obovate to ovate-oblong, 4-5 mm. Male flowers: stamens longer than petals; filaments filiform; rudimentary gynoecium barlike, 3-4 mm, apex 3- or 4-lobed. Female flowers: rudimentary stamens shorter than petals; ovary globose; style ca. 1 mm; stigma capitate. Fruit bluish black, globose, 6-8 mm in diam., 1-3-seeded. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Jul-Sep.

Himalaya (Nepal to Bhutan), Assam, Thailand, W. & S. China.

Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, E Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, NE India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, N Thailand, N Vietnam].

1600-2500 m

Shady moist montane areas; 1000-2800 m.

Skimmia euphlebia Merrill; S. japonica Thunberg var. euphlebia (Merrill) N. P. Taylor; S. japonica var. kwangsiensis (C. C. Huang) N. P. Taylor; S. kwangsiensis C. C. Huang.

Skimmia arborescens is a small tree or shrub. It is grown as an ornamental plant. It ranges from the Himalayas to Southeast Asia.