Cornaceae Bercht. ex J.Presl

Trees or shrubs, rarely rhizomatous herbs, mostly deciduous, sometimes evergreen, hermaphroditic [dioecious in African species]. Old branches terete, pith white or brown, lenticels and leaf scars often conspicuous; young branches rounded or slightly 4-ridged; nodes slightly swollen. Leaves opposite, rarely alternate or whorled, estipulate, petiolate, rarely sessile; leaf blade simple, entire, pinnately veined, rarely parallel veined, often pubescent, sometimes papillate; trichomes often 2-armed, arms equal or unequal, appressed and T-shaped, or raised and V-or Y-shaped, or pseudofiliform. Inflorescences cymose, paniculate, corymbose, umbellate, or capitulate, terminal, rarely lateral; bracts minute, not petaloid, early caducous, or 4(–6) and usually showy. Flowers 4-merous. Calyx tubular, fused to ovary, minutely 4-dentate or truncate. Petals 4, free, creamy white or yellow, rarely dark reddish purple or partially dark reddish purple, valvate. Stamens 4, surrounding a fleshy floral disk, alternate petals. Anthers longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary inferior; carpels 2, rarely 3 or 4; locules 2, rarely 3 or 4; ovules pendulous, 1 per locule; style 1, columnar or clavate; stigma capitate, disciform, punctate, or truncate, sometimes slightly 2-lobed. Fruit a drupaceous berry, white, blue, red, or black, berries distinct or fused into a fleshy syncarpous compound fruit; stone of fruit bony, 1-or 2(–4)-chambered, seeds 1 or 2(–4); endosperm oily; cotyledons 2, leaflike.

Many species of Cornus are cultivated as ornamentals, valued particularly for their white or colourful floral bracts. The fruits of Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry) are cultivated in Asia for medicinal uses (Xiang & Boufford 2005, Hosseinpour-Jaghdani et al. 2017). The wood of some Cornus species is used for a variety of purposes, and some species have edible fruits used in jam (Brummitt 2007: 112).