What is "cornus florida"

Dogwood \Dog"wood`\ (-w[oo^]d`), n. [So named from skewers (dags) being made of it. --Dr. Prior. See Dag, and Dagger.] (Bot.) The Cornus, a genus of large shrubs or small trees, the wood of which is exceedingly hard, and serviceable for many purposes. Note: There are several species, one of which, Cornus mascula, called also cornelian cherry, bears a red acid berry. Cornus florida is the flowering dogwood, a small American tree with very showy blossoms. Dogwood tree.

1. The dogwood or Cornus.

2. A papilionaceous tree ( Piscidia erythrina) growing in Jamaica. It has narcotic properties; -- called also Jamaica dogwood.

Cornin \Cor"nin\ (k?r"n?n), n. (Chem.)

1. A bitter principle obtained from dogwood ( Cornus florida), as a white crystalline substance; -- called also cornic acid.

2. An extract from dogwood used as a febrifuge.

Cornic \Cor"nic\ (k[^o]r"n[i^]k), a. Pertaining to, derived from, or resembling, the dogwood ( Cornus florida).

Cornel \Cor"nel\ (-n?l), n. [OF. cornille, cornoille, F. cornouille, cornel berry, LL. cornolium cornel tree, fr. L. cornus, fr. cornu horn, in allusion to the hardness of the wood. See Horn.]

1. (Bot.) The cornelian cherry ( Cornus Mas), a European shrub with clusters of small, greenish flowers, followed by very acid but edible drupes resembling cherries.

2. Any species of the genus Cornus, as Cornus florida, the flowering cornel; Cornus stolonifera, the osier cornel; Cornus Canadensis, the dwarf cornel, or bunchberry.

Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida and west to the Mississippi River. The tree is commonly planted as an ornamental in residential and public areas because of its showy bracts and interesting bark structure.