Cornus unalaschkensis
Cornaceae
Bunchberry
Trailing or ascending stems from rhizomes, less than 8 in. tall, evergreen leaves turning red in winter or sometimes deciduous. Leaves 4–6 in whorl with short petioles. Above leaves is a single head of 4 whitish petal-like bracts with small flowers in center. Fruit is a tight bunch of red berries, each with 1 pit. Most common of dwarf dogwoods, bunchberry grows in deep duff of moist forests or bogs throughout western mountains. Cornus canadensis is a very similar eastern species; the name has been frequently misapplied in the Northwest.
- Rarity: Common
- Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
- Flower Form: 4 petals, (Scrophulariaceae)
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Height: 4–8 inches
- Habitat: Bog/Fen/Wetland, West-side Forest
- Found In: Crater Lake NP, Mt. Rainier NP, N Cascades NP, Olympic NP, Siskiyous, West Gorge
- Native: Yes
- Also Known As: Dwarf Dogwood, Western Cordilleran Bunchberry
- Latin Synonyms: Cornus canadensis, Chamaepericlymenum unalaschkense
