Osmanthus armatus, also known by the common name devil woodMissouri Botanic Garden. Available at: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=301075&isprofile=0& [accessed 13/02/21] or Chinese vernacular name 红柄木犀 (Hóng bǐng mùxī)Flora of China via efloras. Available at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=210001385 [accessed 13/02/21] is a species in the genus Osmanthus in the family Oleaceae. It is native to China,Trees and Shrubs Online. Available at: https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/osmanthus/osmanthus-armatus/ [accessed 13/02/21]RHS Plants. Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/11980/Osmanthus-armatus/Details [accessed 13/02/21]Plants of the World Online. Available at: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:610852-1 [accessed 13/02/21] specifically the west or central and southeast.
The species was introduced into the UK via Veitch Nurseries in 1902 by Wilson, who collected it during one of his trips to China.
Description A woody evergreen which ranges in size from a shrub to a small tree, reaching 8–15 feet high at maturity.
Though the young leaves are conspicuously spiny, spines are often entirely absent from the mature, adult leaves.
White blooms appear in axillary clusters in autumn.
Etymology Osmanthus is derived from Greek and means 'fragrant flower'.Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. (hardback), (paperback). pp 56, 285
Armatus means 'armed' or 'thorny'.
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