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The Smooth oriental photinia (Pourthiaea vilosa var. laevis) belongs to Rosaceae (the Rose family). It is a small deciduous tree that is widely distributed throughout Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and China. It grows along the forest margins of low mountains and hills, and grows up to 4 m high. The leaves are ovate, 3-9 cm long, and have fine, sharp serrations on the edges. It produces small white five-petaled flowers in compound umbels from April to May. It is also known as "Ushi-koroshi" (meaning "cow killer"), which derives from the fact that the stiff and sticky branches are bent to form the nose ring of a cow. The Japanese name "Kama-tsuka" comes from the fact that it was used to make sickle and hoe stipes. In Chinese, it is called "毛葉石楠" (mao ye shi nan).
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