CORNACEAE: Dogwood Family
KEY TO SPECIES OF CORNUS
1. Plants to 30 cm, erect or ascending, usually a single stem with 4 or 6 leaves, rarely more, in an apparent whorl at summit ................. C. canadensis
1. Plants over 30 cm, only seedlings and sprouts under 30 cm. Leaves 2 at summit of vigorous twigs ......................................... 2
2. Main lateral veins of all larger leaves 5 or more pairs .............. 3
3. Bark of branches and older twigs splitting longitudinally and appearing braided. Twigs without raised lenticels. Underside of leaf blade lacking tufts of hairs in axils of main lateral veins ..................................... 4
4. Leaf blade underside with closely arranged light grayish slightly raised circular areas ca 1/40 mm across, all hairs appressed and rigid; base usually wedge-shaped .................. C. obliqua
4. Leaf blade underside lacking such circles, usually some hairs appressed and rigid, others erect and curling on same leaf; base usually rounded to truncate ........................ C. amomum
3. Bark of branches and older twigs smoothish, with scattered raised lenticels. Underside of leaf blade with tufts of hairs in axils of main lateral veins ............................................... 5
5. Area surrounding lenticels suffused with purple. Leaf blade suborbicular to broadly ovate; main lateral veins 7-9 pairs .................................................... C. rugosa
5. Area surrounding lenticels not differentiated in color. Leaves lanceolate or elliptic to ovate; main lateral veins 5-7 pairs ............... C. sericea
2. Main lateral veins of larger leaves mostly 3-4 pairs.......................................................... 6
6. Underside of leaf blade with erect hairs, usually rough to touch …...........................… C. asperifolia
6. Underside of leaf blade with appressed to slightly raised hairs, not rough to touch ............................... C. foemina