Berchemia edgeworthii Lawson

An erect deciduous shrub, branches cylindrical glabrous. Leaves very variable in size 10-30 x 2-20 mm, elliptic, ovate, oblong, glabrous, entire, paler beneath with 6-8 pairs of lateral nerves, petiole 3-4 mm long; stipules free, c. 5 mm long, acuminate, ovate-lanceolate scarious. Inflorescence axillary 2-3 flowered. Flowers 5-(-6) merous, c. 2.5 mm across. Pedicel 4-5 mm long. Calyx 5-(-6) acute, much longer than the petals, c. 2.5 mm. Petals 5(-6), c. 1.5 x c. 5 mm, broadly ovate. Stamens 5(-6) as long as the petals. Drupe ovoid 6-7 x 4 mm, surrounded by persistent calyx tube.

Shrubs erect, ca. 2 m tall, branched. Branchlets smooth, glabrous. Stipules narrowly lanceolate, ca. as long as petioles or slightly longer, persistent; petiole 1-2 mm, glabrous; leaf blade abaxially greenish, adaxially green, ovate, oblong, or suborbicular, very small, 4-10 × 3-6 mm, thinly papery, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, base rounded, apex obtuse, mucronulate. Flowers white, 2.5-3 mm in diam., glabrous, solitary or 2- or 3-fascicled in axils of leaves. Pedicel 2-4 mm. Sepals ovate-triangular. Petals oblong-spatulate, ca. as long as stamens, apically obtuse or acute. Drupe orange or purple at maturity, cylindric, 7-9 mm, 3-4 mm in diam., with inconspicuous remnants of disk and calyx tube at base; mesocarp sweet; fruiting pedicel 2-4 mm, glabrous. Fl. Jul-Oct, fr. Apr-Jul of following year.

Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), S. Tibet, W. China.

Distribution: Western Himalayas, Pakistan, Nepal to Afghanistan.

SW and W Sichuan, S and SE Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, India (Sikkim), Kashmir, Nepal].

2400-4400 m

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Subalpine thickets, cliffs; 2100-4500 m.

Berchemia axilliflora W. C. Cheng; B. nana W. W. Smith.