Speckled berry.

Bingo!!! Yes, it is Viburnum parvifolium.
Congratulations Michael, It doesn't feature a great deal on the net, or in books. It is not a spectacular shrub, but the berries are a bit unusual. The pics of the berries were taken at the beginning of November 2007. We have had ours for 5 years now.

Interestingly it is on the endangered plant list.

http://books.google.com/books?id=XI...&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result

http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/v/viparv.htm

 

Is it a named cultivar? The Flora of Taiwan doesn't mention the fruit being variegated, just 'red', nor show it in their pic (plate 386: http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/udth/bin/fot1.exe/browse?bid=4&page=1168 ). If it isn't a named cultivar, it might be worth naming as one, as it does look nice.

 

Doesn't V. parvifolium have black fruits?
There is a Viburnum propinquum mentioned in an article on the UBC forum. Could it be that?
I'm more than stumped!!

 

Sorry Luke ,according to this link Viburnum parvifolium definitely has red berries, not black.See....

http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/udth/bin/fot1.exe/browse?bid=4&page=757

At the top of the above page you can click on page 386 to get a photo. Viburnum propinquum has a completely different shape leaf, and is evergreen.See....

http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/productdescrip/Viburnum_Chinese.html

Michael, I agree no where is there a mention of the speckle. However, if you look closely at the pics ( they have several) on .....

http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/v/viparv.htm

you can see that they also have speckles.So we can't claim to have a new cultivar!!!!

 

Ah, I must have posted my last comment about 2 seconds after Michael. Hadn't even spotted the correct answer. Doh!
Congrats Michael :0)

 

Congratulations to Luddite on a tough one - I really enjoyed it!
Congratulations to Michael on getting in first with the right answer!

I had a private bet with myself that Michael would be the first with the correct answer. I am repeatedly impressed with the extraordinary range of his plant knowledge.

One of us will have to try and think up something special to stump even him!

Ciao
BrianO

 

Thanks! Tho' I didn't have a clue at first - for me, it was more a matter of (a) optimum use of the clues, and (b) knowing where best to look for further info (in this case, USDA GRIN for up-to-date taxonomy, and the online Flora of Taiwan).

 

Since the earlier discussion as to whether Viburnum was in Caprifoliaceae or Adoxaceae, I have been trying to do my homework!

Adoxa moschatellina grow near here, it is a native wild flower. It grows to the massive height of 4 inches! It looks like a cube, with a flower on 5 of the faces, giving it its common name, townhall clock. This much I knew! I now have to accept that this miniscule plant is related to huge shrubs like Sambucus and Viburnums. Unbelievable or what!
Just thought I would share a couple of links of Adoxa moschatellina with you good folk.

http://www.floralimages.co.uk/padoxamosch.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoxa

 

Very believable!! Plenty of other families include herbs, shrubs, and trees. Fabaceae and Rosaceae are perhaps the best-known examples; other include e.g. Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Berberidaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Cornaceae, Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae (even within one genus Euphorbia!), Hypericaceae (even within one genus Hypericum!), Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae, Papaveraceae, Ranunculaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, and many more.

For one typical example, Verbenaceae: UK native Verbena officinalis is a herb. But the same family also includes Tectona grandis (Teak).