maleberry Ericaceae Lyonia ligustrina

Leaf:Alternate, deciduous, simple, oblong to elliptical, pointed tip, serrated to entire margins, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, dark green above and maybe a bit hairy, lighter green and often hairy below.
Flower:Small (1/4 inch), white, broadly urn-shaped, hang in large clusters from leaf axils of last years growth, appearing in early summer.
Fruit:Dry reddish brown, 5-valved capsules, 1/4 inch long; mature in late summer, persistent.
Twig:Slender reddish brown, a bit angled particularly at the nodes, initially a bit fuzzy but later glabrous, leaf scar with 1 bundle scar.
Bark:Brown to reddish brown with long horizontal splits developing.
Form:A dense shrub reaching up to 6 feet tall; spreads from heavily branching rhizomes.

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