Helwingia
The genus Helwingia consists of shrubs or rarely small trees native to eastern Asia, the Himalayas, and northern Indochina. It is the only genus in the family Helwingiaceae. The plants have alternate, evergreen or deciduous leaves and small inflorescences that are epiphyllous (growing from the leaf surface). During development, the flowers appear separate from the leaves, but eventually fuse with the leaf midrib. Flowers are small and yellow-green or purple, followed by red or black berries. Plants are dioecious. The APG II classification (2003) places them in the order Aquifoliales, along with the hollies and Phyllonomaceae, which also  has epiphyllous flowers. The family Helwingiaceae does not exist in the Cronquist classification (1981), which places this genus in the Cornaceae (dogwood family). "Helwingia" has also previously been placed in the Araliaceae (ginseng family). The family is named for botanist Georg Andreas Helwing. Species. Species adapted from the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: