Cornus macrophylla var. stracheyi C.B.Clarke — Strachey dogwood

Introduction

Strachey dogwood is the accepted non-nominate variety of Cornus macrophylla. Regional treatments distinguish it as a smaller Himalayan to southwestern Chinese expression with dense pubescence on the inflorescence and conspicuously silky young foliage, coupled with later flowering than typical var. macrophylla (Xiang & Boufford 2005; Deasy et al. 2026).

The taxon has also been treated at species rank as C. stracheyi. Tree TSAR retains varietal rank because the differences are coherent and useful but currently do not justify severing the lineage from the broad, geographically variable C. macrophylla complex.

Horticultural and Agricultural Uses

Variety stracheyi is primarily important for botanical collections rather than as a distinct commercial crop or cultivar group. Its denser pubescence and more compact stature can aid identification when well-documented material is available.

Collections should keep the variety name tied to provenance and voucher specimens. Horticultural clones selected within var. stracheyi, if any are named, remain cultivars rather than additional botanical varieties.

Conservation Concerns

No independent global threat assessment is available for var. stracheyi. The Least Concern status of C. macrophylla provides broad context but does not measure the abundance of this more restricted infraspecific entity. Documented wild-source collections from the Himalaya and southwestern China are therefore useful for preserving its geographic signal.

Additional Information

Plants of the World Online (opens in a new tab) - Current Kew page for the accepted variety.
Trees and Shrubs Online (opens in a new tab) - Parent-species account and infraspecific context.
Flora of China (opens in a new tab) - Regional diagnostic treatment.

References and Further Reading

Deasy M, Crowley D, Aldridge J, Chişu R (2026) Cornus macrophylla. Trees and Shrubs Online. https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/cornus/cornus-macrophylla/ (opens in a new tab)

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2026) Cornus macrophylla var. stracheyi C.B.Clarke. Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77189768-1 (opens in a new tab)

Xiang Q-Y, Boufford DE (2005) Cornaceae. In: Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) Flora of China 14. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, pp. 206-221. https://www.efloras.org/flora_page.aspx?flora_id=2 (opens in a new tab)