Flora of New York/Cornales

Cornales introduction

The Cornales Dumortier includes the families: Cornaceae, Curtisiaceae, Grubbiaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Hydrostachyaceae, Loasaceae, and Nyssaceae. ^[1]^[2]

Cornales

	Hydrangeaceae

	Loasaceae

Hydrostachyaceae

Nyssaceae

	Grubbiaceae

	Curtisiaceae

Cornaceae

↑ Cornales Page last updated: 04/30/2021 at Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017 and more or less continuously updated since
↑ Soltis, Douglas E., author. Phylogeny and evolution of the angiosperms. Revised and updated edition. Chicago; London : The University of Chicago Press, 2018.

Order	Family	Subfamily	Tribe	Genus	Common names	#
Cornales	Hydrangeaceae	Hydrangeoideae	Philadelpheae	Deutzia	pride of Rochester	1
			Philadelpheae	Philadelphus	mock orange	3
			Hydrangeae	Hydrangea	hydrangea	3
			Hydrangeae	Decumaria	(excluded)	X
	Cornaceae	—	—	Cornus	dogwood	13
	Nyssaceae	—	—	Nyssa	tupelo	1

Family Hydrangeaceae

The Hydrangeaceae (hydrangea family) has about nine species in four genera growing outside of cultivation. Many of these are native to the southeastern United States, but have been introduced in northern states and Canada.

Subfamily Hydrangeoideae

Tribe Philadelpheae

Philadelphus

Philadelphus coronarius

Cornales — Hydrangeaceae — Hydrangeoideae — Philadelpheae — Philadelphus
Genus Philadelphus	Mock orange	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Philadelphus inodorus L. 1753. Philadelphus inodorus L. 1794. Syringa inodora Moench 1809. Philadelphus grandiflorus Willd. 1856. P. inodorusvar. grandiflorus Willd. 1902. Philadelphus floridus Beadle^[1] 1902. Philadelphus gloriosus Beadle	Scentless mock orange ⓘ Florida mock orange ⓘ Beadle's mockorange ⓘ Few-flower mock orange ⓘ Seringa inodore Philadelphe de Beadle ⓘ Seringat de Beadle ⓘ Seringa très fleuri ⓘ	Introduced from southeastern US, US South native, Occasionally naturalized Perennial, Shrub		Bronx, Broome, Cayuga, Greene, Nassau, New York, Otsego, Rensselaer, Suffolk NYFA: X	USDA-NX Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Philadelphus pubescens Loisel. 1820. Philadelphus pubescens Loisel. 1828. Philadelphus latifolius Schrad. ex DC.	Hoary mock-orange, Hairy mock-orange, Broadleaf mock-orange Seringa à grandes feuilles	Introduced from south-central US, US South native Perennial, Shrub		Orange, Ulster NYFA: X	USDA-NX Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Philadelphus coronarius L. 1753. Philadelphus coronarius L. 1896. Philadelphus caucasicus Koehne	European mock orange ⓘ European mock-orange ⓘ Sweet mock-orange ⓘ Sweet mock orange ⓘ Philadelphia mock-orange ⓘ English dogwood Seringat des jardins Seringa commun	Introduced from Eurasia, Naturalized Perennial, Shrub		NYFA: X NYFA: 17 counties xx counties	USDA-XX Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS FNA Tropicos Images Wikispecies
↑ The NY Flora Atlas previously included P. floridus as a separate species listed only in Greene County, but has since merged in into P. inodorus. NatureServe Explorer indicates that Philadelphus floridus "may prove to be only a form of P. inodorus (Weakley 1996)", although it was "accepted by Kartesz (1999) as a Georgia endemic."

Deutzia

Deutzia scabra

Cornales — Hydrangeaceae — Hydrangeoideae — Philadelpheae — Deutzia
Genus Deutzia	Pride-of-Rochester	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Deutzia scabra Thunb. 1784. Deutzia scabra Thunb. 1835. Deutzia crenata Siebold & Zucc. 1867. Deutzia sieboldiana Maxim. 1905. D. sieboldianavar. dippeliana C.K.Schneid. D. scabravar. candidissima Rehder	Fuzzy deutzia, Fuzzy pride-of-Rochester	Introduced from Japan, Highly invasive, Naturalized, IO Perennial, Shrub		NYFA: X	USDA-X0 ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies

Tribe Hydrangeae

Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

There are four species of Hydrangea native to eastern North America. Of these only Hydrangea arborescens (wild hydrangea) is native as far north as New York, which is at the northern limit of the natural range of the species. Wild hydrangea is ranked as Threatened (S2) in New York and has probably always been rare in the state. Historically there have only been ten known sites for wild hydrangea, most of these along the Pennsylvania border, on forested slopes of upper headwater ravines or on ledges.^[1] Popular cultivars of wild hydrangea include 'Annabelle' and 'Grandiflora'.

Both Hydrangea arborescens and the Asian species Hydrangea paniculata (panicled hydrangea) are commonly planted but rarely naturalize in New York State.^[2]

↑ New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Hydrangea arborescens, acc. July 19, 2021.
↑ Michael Hough (2019). "Hydrangea." Flora of Cortland and Onondaga Counties, New York, p. 292.

Cornales — Hydrangeaceae — Hydrangeoideae — Hydrangeae — Hydrangea
Genus Hydrangea	Hydrangea	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Hydrangea arborescens L. 1753. Hydrangea arborescens L. 1768. Viburnum americanum Mill. 1785. Viburnum alnifolium Marshall 1840. Hydrangea arborescens var. oblonga Torr. & A.Gray 1840. Hydrangea arborescens var. sterilis Torr. & A.Gray	Wild hydrangea American hydrangea Smooth hydrangea Sevenbark Sheep flower	Native, CoC: 7, Threatened, S2, G5, NYNHP: 2^[1] FACU Perennial, Shrub, Heliophily: 4 Part shade		NYFA: 2 iNat: 18 counties	USDA-NX FSUS Go Botany ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos NatureServe BONAP LBJ Images Wikispecies
Hydrangea paniculata	Panicle hydrangea, Panicled hydrangea Hortensia paniculé	Introduced from temperate Asia, Naturalized		Nassau, Orange, Rensselaer, Rockland NYFA: X	USDA-XX Go Botany ARS-GRIN LBJ Images Wikispecies
Hydrangea heteromalla D. Don	Himalayan hydrangea	Introduced, Not naturalized		Bronx NYFA: X	Images Wikispecies
Genus Hydrangea (excluded taxa)	Hydrangea	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Hydrangea cinerea Small 1830. H. arborescens var. discolor Ser. ex DC. 1898. H. cinerea Small 1921. H. arborescens var. deamii H.St.John 1956. H. arborescens ssp. discolor (Ser. ex DC.) E. M. McClint.	Ashy hydrangea	N. America native, N.Y. excluded		NYFA-Excluded	USDA-N0 ARS-GRIN Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Hydrangea quercifolia W.Bartram 1791. Hydrangea quercifolia W.Bartram 1791. Hydrangea radiata Sm. non Walter	Oakleaf hydrangea	Introduced, US South native, No specimens Perennial, Shrub		NYFA: 0	USDA-N NatureServe BONAP Images Wikispecies
↑ New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Hydrangea arborescens, acc. July 19, 2021.

Decumaria

Decumaria, with only a couple of species worldwide, is also treated as section of Hydrangea. Reports of climbing hydrangea on Long Island are assumed to be of either cultivated plants or misidentifications.

Cornales — Hydrangeaceae — Hydrangeoideae — Hydrangeae — Decumaria
Genus Decumaria	Woodvamp	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Decumaria barbara L. 1763. Decumaria barbara L.	Climbing hydrangea, Woodvamp, Wood-vamp	Introduced from southeast Virginia south, N.Y. excluded OBL Perennial, Woody vine		NYFA: X	USDA-N0 ARS-GRIN ITIS NatureServe BONAP Images Wikispecies

Family Nyssaceae

The Nyssaceae (the tupelo family) has also been treated a subfamily of the Cornaceae, including as recently as the APG III system (2009). The APG IV system (2016) treats them as separate families within the Cornales.

Nyssa

Nyssa sylvatica

The genus Nyssa is here included in the Nyssaceae family within Cornales.

Cornales — Nyssaceae — Nyssa
Genus Nyssa	Tupelo	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Nyssa sylvatica Marshall 1785. Nyssa sylvatica Marshall 1787. Nyssa multiflora Wangenh. 1798. Nyssa caroliniana Poir. 1935. N. sylvaticavar. caroliniana Fernald 1935. N. sylvaticavar. dilatata Fernald 1935. N. sylvaticavar. typica Fernald	Blackgum, Black-gum, Black gum, Black tupelo, Sourgum, Sour-gum, Pepperidge Nyssa sylvestre, Gommier noir, Gommier jaune	Native, Secure		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies

Family Cornaceae

The Cornaceae (dogwood family) has about a dozen, mostly native taxa represented outside of cultivation in New York.

Cornus

The genus Cornus (the dogwoods) are here organized by the subgenera used by VASCAN^[1] and FNA^[2] for this genus. The subgenera are further placed into two groups based on the general fruit color, which has been shown to fairly reflect the phylogenic relationship within this genus.^[3]^[4]

Cornus

BW

subg. Kraniopsis

	C. rugosa (round-leaved dogwood)

	C. drummondii (rough-leaved dogwood)

C. racemosa (gray dogwood, red-panicled dogwood)

	C. amomum ssp. amomum (silky dogwood)

	C. amomum ssp. obliqua (narrow-leaved dogwood)

C. sericea (red-osier dogwood)

subg. Mesomora—C. alternifolia (pagoda dogwood, alternate-leaved dogwood)

DW

subg. Arctocrania—Cornus canadensis (bunchberry)

CC

subg. Cornus—C. mas (cornelian cherry)

BB

	subg. Syncarpea—C. kousa (Japanese dogwood)

	subg. Cynoxylon—C. florida (flowering dogwood)

BW -- Blue/White fruit clade (alt. genus Swida)
DW -- Dwarf dogwood clade (alt. genus Chamaepericlymenum)
CC -- Cornelian Cherry clade (alt. genus Cornus sensu stricto)
BB -- Big-Bract dogwoods (alt. genus Benthamidia)

Cornus with blue or white fruit

Cornus alternifolia

The dogwood taxa in the clade with blue or white fruit are sometimes placed in the genus Swida Opiz (1838).^[1]

↑ "Genus Swida - dogwood." Go Botany. 2021 Native Plant Trust

Cornus subg. Kraniopsis

Cornus subgenus Kraniopsis contains dogwoods with opposite-leaves, blue or white round fruits, open compound cymes, and minute bracts. There are about 30 species in this group worldwide, mostly in East Asia and North America, but a few are from Europe and South America. ^[1] Five species of subgenus Kraniopsis are native to New York.

Note that the Flora of North America treats subg. Kraniopsis as subg. Thelycrania "because C. S. Rafinesque (1838) apparently treated his new taxon as a genus, not a subgenus, and no publication validating the name at the subgeneric rank has been located."^[2] Most other sources use Kraniopsis for this subgenus name.

Cornales — Cornaceae — Cornoideae — Cornus subg. Kraniopsis
Genus Cornus subg. Kraniopsis	Blue-fruit dogwood	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus racemosa Lam. 1786. Cornus racemosa Lam. 1789. C. paniculata L’Hér. 1964. C. foeminassp. racemosa 1943. Swida racemosa Moldenke 1959. Thelycrania racemosa Tsitsin	Gray dogwood, Panicled dogwood, Red-panicled dogwood, Northern swamp dogwood Cornouiller à grappes	Native, CoC: 2, Secure Perennial, Tree-shrub		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN FEIS Images Wikispecies
Cornus sericea L. ssp. sericea 1771. Cornus sericea L. 1803. C. stolonifera Michx. 1890. C. baileyi J.M.Coult.& W.H.Evans 1903. C. albavar. coloradensis 1904. Swida stolonifera (Michx.) Rydb. 1909. C. stoloniferavar. coloradensis 1910. C. albassp. stolonifera 1933. C. stoloniferavar. baileyi 1967. C. albavar. baileyi 1967. C. albavar. interior	Red-osier dogwood, Red-rood dogwood, Red-stem dogwood, Red-twig dogwood, American dogwood Cornouiller stolonifère, Cornouiller hart-rouge, Hart-rouge	Native, CoC: 6, Secure FACW Perennial, Tree-shrub		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos FEIS Images Wikispecies
Cornus amomum Mill. ssp. amomum 1768. Cornus amomum Mill. 1903. Swida amomum Small 1950. Thelycrania amomum Pojark.	Silky dogwood, Silky cornel, Red-willow	Native, CoC: 6, Secure		NYFA: 5	USDA-N0 Go Botany ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Cornus amomum Mill. ssp. obliqua (Raf.) J.S.Wilson 1819. Cornus obliqua Raf. 1845. C. sericeavar. schuetzeana 1899. C. purpusii Koehne 1934. C. amomumvar. schuetzeana 1944. Swida obliqua Moldenke 1965. C. amomumssp. obliqua	Narrow-leaved dogwood, Narrowleaf silky dogwood, Silky dogwood, Swamp dogwood, Pale dogwood Cornouiller oblique	Native, CoC: 6, Unranked, SNR, G5T5		Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Schenectady, Yates NYFA: 2?	USDA-NN VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Cornus rugosa Lam. 1786. Cornus rugosa Lam. 1789. Cornus circinata L'Hér. 1913. Swida circinata Small 1932. Swida rugosa Rydb. 1950. Thelycrania rugosa Pojark.	Roundleaf dogwood, Round-leaf dogwood, Round-leaved dogwood Cornouiller rugueux	Native, CoC: 7, Secure UPL Perennial, Tree-shrub		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos LBJ Images Wikispecies
Cornus drummondii C.A.Mey. 1845. Cornus drummondii C.A.Mey. 1901. Cornus priceae Small 1903. Swida priceae Small 1950. Thelycrania priceae Pojark. 1960. Swida drummondii Soják	Rough-leaved dogwood, Northern roughleaf dogwood, Drummond's dogwood Cornouiller de Drummond	Native, CoC: 10, Endangered, S1, G5, NYNHP: 1^[1] FAC Perennial, Tree-shrub		NYFA: 1	USDA-NN VASCAN Images Wikispecies
Cornus × slavinii Rehder Cornus rugosa × Cornus sericea	Slavin's dogwood	Native, Unranked, SNA Perennial, Tree-shrub		Monroe (1905-1915) NYFA: H	USDA-NN Images Wikispecies
Cornus amomum × racemosa Cornus amomum × Cornus racemosa	hybrid dogwood	Native, Unranked, SNA Perennial, Tree-shrub		Monroe (1979) NYFA: H	Images Wikispecies
↑ New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Cornus drummondii, acc. July 19, 2021.

Cornus subg. Mesomora

Cornus alternifolia

Cornus subgenus Mesomora contains dogwoods with alternate leaves, blue or white fruits, open compound cymes, and minute bracts. Besides the North American Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood), the only other species in subgenus Mesomora is the Asian Cornus controversa (giant dogwood), which has not been known to naturalize in New York.

Cornales — Cornaceae — Cornoideae — Cornus subg. Mesomora
Genus Cornus subg. Mesomora	Alternate-leaf dogwood	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus alternifolia L.f. 1782. Cornus alternifolia L.f. 1903. Swida alternifolia Small 1950. Bothrocaryum alternifolium Pojark.	Alternate-leaf dogwood, Pagoda dogwood, Green osier Cornouiller à feuilles alternes	Native, CoC: 7, Secure		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN Tropicos FEIS Images Wikispecies

Cornus with red fruit

Cornus canadensis

Bunchberries are sometimes placed in genus Chamaepericlymenum, while flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) may be placed in genus Benthamidia.

Cornus florida may be affected by dogwood anthracnose (Discula destructiva), a non-native fungal pathogen. Planting this tree in in full sun may help prevent anthracnose infection.^[1]

↑ Dogwood Anthracnose Fact Sheet. UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program. 2024. University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Cornaceae — Cornoideae — Cornus
Genus Cornus subg. Arctocrania	Dwarf dogwood	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus canadensis L. 1753. Cornus canadensis L. in Sp. Pl.:118 1784. Cornus herbacea var. canadensis (L.) Pall. in Fl. Ross. 1:52 1832. Cornus cyananthus Raf. in Atlantic J. 1:151 1899. Chamaepericlymenum canadense (L.) Asch. & Graebn. in Fl. Nordostdeut. Flachl. 1906. Cornella canadensis Rydb.(L.) Rydb. in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33:147 1909. Arctocrania canadensis (L.) Nakai in Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 23:40 1910. Cornus fauriei H.Lév. in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 8:281 1931. Cynoxylon canadense (L.) J.H.Schaffn. in Ohio J. Sci. 31:305 1916. Mesomora canadensis (L.) Lunell in Amer. Midl. Naturalist 4:487 1949. Eukrania canadensis (L.) Merr. in Index Raf.:184 1949. Eukrania cyananthus (Raf.) Merr. in Index Raf.:184	Bunchberry, Pudding berry, Crackerberry, Dwarf cornel, Canada dwarf-dogwood, Creeping dogwood Cornouiller quatre-temps, Cornouiller du Canada	Native, Likely secure FAC Perennial, Herb-forb, 2n = 22, 44		NYFA: 4-5	USDA-NN POWO FSUS Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN FNA Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Genus Cornus subg. Cynoxylon	Big-bract dogwood	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus florida L. 1753. Cornus florida L. in Sp. Pl.: 117 1768. Cornus candidissima Mill. in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.:n.°6 1838. Cynoxylon floridum (L.) Raf. ex B.D.Jacks. 1839. Benthamidia florida (L.) Spach in Hist. Nat. Vég. 8:107 1903. Cynoxylon floridum (L.) Small in Fl. S.E. U.S. 854 1903. Cornus urbiniana Rose in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 8:53 1908. Cynoxylon floridum (L.) Britton & Shafer in N. Amer. Trees:744 1909. Benthamia florida (L.) Nakai in Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 23:41	Flowering dogwood, White dogwood, Eastern flowering dogwood, Big-bracted-dogwood Cornouiller fleuri, Cornouiller à fleurs, Cornouiller de Floride	Native, CoC: 7, Likely secure, S4-S5 FACU Perennial, Tree, Heliophily: 5 Sun-shade, 2n = 44		NYFA: 4-5	USDA-NN POWO FSUS Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS FNA Tropicos BONAP LBJ Images Wikispecies
Genus Cornus subg. Syncarpea	Big-bract dogwood	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus kousa Hance 1873. Cornus kousa Hance 1830. Cornus japonica DC. nom. illeg. 1836. Benthamia japonica Siebold & Zucc. 1942. Dendrobenthamia japonica Hutch. 1948. Benthamidia japonica H.Hara ^[1]	Kousa dogwood, Kousa big-bract-dogwood, Japanese dogwood	Introduced from temperate Asia, Potentially invasive, Rarely naturalized		NYFA: X	USDA-X- Go Botany Images Wikispecies
Genus Cornus subg. Cornus	Cornelian cherry	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Cornus mas L. 1753. Cornus mas L. 1909. Macrocarpium mas (L.) Nakai	Cornelian cherry Cornouiller mâle	Introduced from temperate Eurasia		NYFA: X	USDA-X- Images Wikispecies
↑ Flora Novae Angliae treats Cornus kousa as Benthamidia japonica (Siebold & Zucc.) H.Hara.

[1] Cornales Page last updated: 04/30/2021 at Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017 and more or less continuously updated since

[2] Soltis, Douglas E., author. Phylogeny and evolution of the angiosperms. Revised and updated edition. Chicago; London : The University of Chicago Press, 2018.

[3] The NY Flora Atlas previously included P. floridus as a separate species listed only in Greene County, but has since merged in into P. inodorus. NatureServe Explorer indicates that Philadelphus floridus "may prove to be only a form of P. inodorus (Weakley 1996)", although it was "accepted by Kartesz (1999) as a Georgia endemic."

[4] New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Hydrangea arborescens, acc. July 19, 2021.

[5] Michael Hough (2019). "Hydrangea." Flora of Cortland and Onondaga Counties, New York, p. 292.

[6] New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Hydrangea arborescens, acc. July 19, 2021.

[7] The Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN) (attributes its organization of Cornus to "FNA Ed. Comm., in prep. e.")

[8] Zack E. Murrell & Derick B. Poindexter "24. Cornaceae Berchtold & J. Presl Dogwood Family." Flora of North America, Volume 12

[9] Chuanzhu Fan & (Jenny) Qiu-Yun Xiang (2001). "Phylogenetic relationships within Cornus (Cornaceae) based on 26S rDNA sequences." American Journal of Botany 88(6): 1131–1138.

[10] Xiang, Q., Thomas, D., Zhang, W., Manchester, S., & Murrell, Z. (2006). Species Level Phylogeny of the Genus Cornus (Cornaceae) Based on Molecular and Morphological Evidence-Implications for Taxonomy and Tertiary Intercontinental Migration. Taxon, 55(1), 9-30. doi:10.2307/25065525

[11] "Genus Swida - dogwood." Go Botany. 2021 Native Plant Trust

[12] Chuanzhu Fan & (Jenny) Qiu-Yun Xiang (2001). "Phylogenetic relationships within Cornus (Cornaceae) based on 26S rDNA sequences." American Journal of Botany 88(6): 1131–1138.

[13] Zack E. Murrell & Derick B. Poindexter "24. Cornaceae Berchtold & J. Presl Dogwood Family." Flora of North America, Volume 12 -- FNA Beta page

[14] New York Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Online Conservation Guide for Cornus drummondii, acc. July 19, 2021.

[15] Dogwood Anthracnose Fact Sheet. UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program. 2024. University of Massachusetts Amherst.

[16] Flora Novae Angliae treats Cornus kousa as Benthamidia japonica (Siebold & Zucc.) H.Hara.

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