Japanese name: ハリツルマサキ（針蔓柾） Scientific name:Gymnosporia diversifolia
[Overview]
A semi-climbing evergreen shrub found on the coast, usually 1–2 m tall.
It grows on the limestone of uplifted coral reefs.
The stems sometimes creep along the ground and branch often, and young branches are densely covered with minute projections.
Long shoots and short shoots are clearly distinguished, and the long shoots have thorns 0.5–1 cm long at the leaf axils and tips.
The leaves are simple, alternate on long shoots and clustered on short shoots, obovate, 2–3 cm long and 1–1.5 cm wide, thick, hairless on both surfaces, and glossy.
The leaf margins have a few rounded serrations.
The leaf stalk is very short or absent.
The flowers are borne, 1–7 together, in inflorescences 0.3–0.8 cm long, and are white with 5 petals, 0.2–0.4 cm across.
The fruit is an obovate capsule 0.7 cm across that ripens red.
[Notes]
There is a variant whose fruit forms a neat heart shape.
