Cornelian cherry

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Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas)

The Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to southern Europe and southwest Asia.

Pronunciation

  • English: /kɔːrˈniːliən ˈtʃɛri/
  • Latin: /'kornus 'mas/

Etymology

The term "Cornelian Cherry" comes from the Latin Cornus meaning "horn", in reference to the hardness of the wood, and mas meaning "male", in reference to the plant's vigor and strength. The word "cherry" is derived from the Old Northern French cherise, which in turn comes from the Latin cerasum, referring to the ancient Greek place name Cerasus, where cherries were first thought to be cultivated.

Description

The Cornelian Cherry is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow up to 5–12 m tall. The leaves are opposite, 4–10 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with an ovate to oblong shape and an entire margin. The flowers are small (5–10 mm diameter), with four yellow petals, produced in clusters of 10–25 together in the late winter, well before the leaves appear. The fruit is an oblong red drupe 2 cm long and 1 cm broad, containing a single seed.

Uses

The fruits, when ripe on the plant, bear a resemblance to coffee berries, and ripen in mid- to late summer. The fruit is edible, with a tart flavor, and can be used in pies and jellies. The fruit is also used to make alcoholic beverages, such as liqueurs and wines.

Related Terms

  • Drupe: A type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside.
  • Deciduous: A term referring to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally.
  • Cornaceae: The dogwood family of flowering plants.

External links

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