Swida asperifolia (Michaux) Small. Eastern Roughleaf Dogwood. Phen: Apr-Jun; Aug-Sep. Hab: Mesic calcareous forests and thickets, shell middens, calcareous hammocks. Dist: Se. NC south to n. peninsular FL, west to s. AL.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: Nash (1896) collected S. asperifolia Michaux at River Junction, Florida; based upon conflicting reports of fruit colors given by Chapman (1860) and Coulter and Evans (1890) for the two rough-leaved dogwoods (S. asperifolia and S. drummondii), Nash decided to name the rough-leaved dogwood with blue fruit as C. microcarpa. However, Michaux's (1803) description, even without reference to fruit color, is clearly attributable to this species, as its locality was given as ‘Carolinae inferioris’. The populations of this rough-leaved dogwood in NC and SC have morphology intermediate between S. foemina and S. asperifolia and these should possibly be attributed to a hybrid origin. More analysis needs to be done on this complex.

Synonymy: = Cornus asperifolia Michx. – Fl5, FNA12, K1, K3, K4, RAB, WH3, Ferguson (1966c), Ferguson (1966d), Godfrey (1988); = Cornus foemina Mill. ssp. microcarpa (Nash) J.S.Wilson – GW2; = Svida microcarpa (Nash) Small – S

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