Genus Cornus

This post was originally intended to be a wiki to facilitate the organization of the genus Cornus into subgenera, following a flag which sought to bring together the "dwarf dogwoods" under their subgenus in order to allow for identifiers to offer a narrower ID for the often indistinguishable Cornus canadensis and Cornus unalaschkensis, but which separates them from the trees and shrubs which make up much of the genus.

Qiu-Yun (Jenny) Xiang's 2006 paper (ref 1) appears to be the most recent and most complete treatment of the genus Cornus which includes information on the widely-used subgenera. The authors note that the present division of the subgenera is imperfect, however it is what we have to work with and if is revised in the future, changes can be dealt with then.

One additional group may be required for hybrids which involve parent species from two different subgenera, or otherwise they can be left directly below the genus.

Species List

Current (iNat)

List of species currently listed on iNaturalist. Some species appear to be duplicates. Once merged, please strike the synonym from the list with tildes.

• Cornus alba
  
• Cornus alpina
• Cornus alternifolia
• Cornus amomum
• Cornus asperifolia
• Cornus bretschneideri
• Cornus canadensis
• Cornus capitata
• Cornus controversa
• Cornus darvasica
• Cornus disciflora
• Cornus drummondii
• Cornus elliptica
• Cornus excelsa
• Cornus florida
• Cornus foemina
• Cornus glabrata
• Cornus hemsleyi
• Cornus hongkongensis
• Cornus iberica
• Cornus japonica
• Cornus koehneana
• Cornus kousa
• Cornus macrophylla
• Cornus mas
• Cornus meyeri
• Cornus multinervosa
• Cornus nuttallii
• Cornus obliqua
• Cornus oblonga
• Cornus officinalis
• Cornus peruviana
• Cornus racemosa
• Cornus rugosa
• Cornus sanguinea
• Cornus schindleri
• Cornus sericea
• Cornus sessilis
• Cornus suecica
• Cornus unalaschkensis
• Cornus volkensii
• Cornus walteri
• Cornus wilsoniana
• Cornus × acadiensis
• Cornus × arnoldiana
• Cornus × friedlanderi
• Cornus × slavinii

Possible Synonyms

These entries appear to be synonyms of other species. Once merged, please strike the synonym from the list with tildes.

• Cornus alpina
• Cornus japonica

Possible Additions

Species not presently included on the list. Once added, please strike the entry from the list with tildes.

• Cornus austrosinensis
• Cornus oligophlebia
• Cornus quinquenervis
• Cornus eydeana
• Cornus × rutgersensis

Subgroups & Subgenera

Qiu-Yun (Jenny) Xiang's 2006 paper breaks the genus into 4 clades which contain a total of 10 subgenera. I've organized the species following her arrangement.

I. Blue- or White-fruited Dogwoods

Yinquania

• Cornus oblonga
• Cornus peruviana

Kraniopsis

• Cornus alba
  
• Cornus alpina (Synonym used in ref-1)

Mesomora

• Cornus alternifolia
• Cornus controversa

II. Cornelian Cherries

Afrocrania

• Cornus volkensii

Cornus

• Cornus eydeana (Add to iNAT)

Sinocornus

• Cornus chinensis : (Add to iNAT)

III. Big-bracted Dogwoods

Discocrania

• Cornus disciflora

Cynoxylon

• Cornus florida
• Cornus nuttallii

Syncarpea

• Cornus capitata
• Cornus elliptica
• Cornus hongkongensis
• Cornus kousa
• Cornus japonica (Synonym)

IV. Dwarf Dogwoods

Arctocrania (Dwarf Dogwoods)

• Cornus Linnaeus subg. Arctocrania (Endlicher) Reichenbach, Deut. Bot. Herb.-Buch. 143. 1841.
• Cornus canadensis
• Cornus suecica
• Cornus unalaschkensis

V. Intrer-Clade Hybrids?

• Cornus × rutgersensis (Add to iNat?)

Subgenus not specified

• Cornus darvasica

References

1. Qiu-Yun (Jenny) Xiang, David T. Thomas, Wenheng Zhang, Steven R. Manchester, Zack Murrell, Species level phylogeny of the genus Cornus (Cornaceae) based on molecular and morphological evidence—implications for taxonomy and Tertiary intercontinental migration, Taxon, 2006, 9-30. DOI: 10.2307/25065525. PDF
2. Chuanzhu Fan, (Jenny) Qiu-Yun Xiang, Phylogenetic relationships within Cornus (Cornaceae) based on 26S rDNA sequences, American Journal of Botany, 2001, —. DOI: 10.2307/2657096
3. Zack E. Murrell, Dwarf Dogwoods: Intermediacy and the Morphological Landscape, Systematic Botany, 1994, 539-556. DOI: —
4. Zack E. Murrell, Phylogenetic Relationships in Cornus (Cornaceae), Systematic Botany, 1993, 469-495. DOI: 10.2307/2419420
5. QY Xiang, DE Soltis, PS Soltis, Phylogenetic relationships of Cornaceae and close relatives inferred from matK and rbcL sequences, American Journal of Botany, 1998, —. DOI: 10.2307/2446317
6. Qiu-Yun (Jenny) Xiang, Steve R. Manchester, David T. Thomas, Wenheng Zhang, Chuanzhu Fan, PHYLOGENY, BIOGEOGRAPHY, AND MOLECULAR DATING OF CORNELIAN CHERRIES (CORNUS, CORNACEAE): TRACKING TERTIARY PLANT MIGRATION, Evolution, 2005, 1685-1700. DOI: 10.1111/j.0014-3820.2005.tb01818.x

Posted on July 27, 2021 11:57 PM by murphyslab