(Globe borrowed from Rebecca Fleming)

(Tree by Toff Murray)

Cornus
Dogwoods or Cornels

by Stephanie Kaye Greene
University of Georgia

Higher Taxon: Cornaceae -- The Dogwood Family

------> The genus Cornus includes a number of deciduous trees and shrubs, totaling over 40 species of which 15 occur in the lower U.S., Canada, and Alaska (Duncan, 1988). Temperate regions serve as homes for most Cornus species, especially in the United States and Asia (but also in Europe and Africa). Some authorities favor dividing the genus into different groups, causing some confusion in the identitiy of the taxa (Hora, 1981). However, most would agree on some basic characteristics of the group. All species of the genus Cornus are described as follows:

...having pinnately veined leaves in lateral veins attached to the basal 2/3 of midrib only and arching in such a manner that the tip of each vein is nearer the midvein than is the middle portion. This pattern of veination may differ below inflorenscences and on stunted twigs. Stipules absent. Flowers bisexual, petals 4-5 and separate, the ovary inferior. Fruits are drupes with a thin pulp of 1 or 2 har stones, each containing a single seed.

Duncan & Duncan, 1988


------> Most species have opposite leaves which are oval in general shape and are pointed at the tip (Cowan, 1992). With colors ranging from gray to reddich brown, the bark of the trees is typically very hard, close-grained and broken into small blocks. The dogwood trees are small and normally do not reach heights of more than 40 feet.

------> The book Trees of the Southeastern United States gives an identification key to identify species in the genus Cornus (Duncan, 1988).

------> A species list with their common names was compiles from various sources.

------> Dogwoods are generally found in sheltered, semi-woodland or particularly shaded areas (Hora, 1981). In autumn, the deciduous dogwood leaves are among the first to turn color from green to red (Cowan, 1992). The new leaves unfold in the spring. At the tips of the twigs, flower buds appear in midsummer and open up the next spring. Fruits of the trees also become colored (color depends upon species) when they ripen in autumn. Dogwood fruit is often a chosen meal of its neighboring birds. With its sturdy wood, dogwoods have been used for bearings, tool handles, and engravers blocks and for making charcoal. Because many species of the dogwood family produce beautiful flowers, they are often used for ornamentation. In the spring, the students at the University of Georgia can enjoy such beauty on campus as well as downtown Athens across from "The Arches."

To find out where the word "dogwood" originated, the Legend of the Dogwood, and also link to the Dogwood Home Page click here .

------> References