Celastrus rugosus Rehd. & Wils.

A deciduous climber up to 20 ft high; young shoots not downy but furnished thickly with tiny lenticels. Leaves oval or ovate, rather conspicuously toothed, broadly wedge-shaped to rounded at the base, contracted at the apex to a short point; 21⁄2 to 51⁄2 in. long; wrinkled, not downy above, and with small wart­like excrescences or down on the midrib and chief veins beneath; stalk 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 in. long. Flowers small, greenish; solitary, few in axillary clusters, or produced in a short terminal raceme. Fruit 1⁄3 in. wide, orange-yellow; seed-coat red.

Native of W. China; discovered by Wilson in 1904, introduced to Kew in 1911 (Nos. 1106, 4157). It is very hardy and vigorous, producing annually long shoots thickly set with tiny warts and occasionally fine crops of its hand­some fruits. Its wrinkled leaves, very strongly veined beneath and frequently warted on the midrib, make it distinct. The pith is lamellate.

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

This is included by Hou in C. glaucophyllus.