Hovenia

Hovenia is a small genus of deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rhamnaceae. They occur naturally from India to Japan. The Japanese, or Oriental raisin tree, H. dulcis, is the best known species, as it is often planted in gardens outside Asia. A fossil wood with features similar to those of the Oligocene Hovenia palaeodulcis from Japan is described from the late Eocene Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado, United States. This is the first report of fossil wood of this Asian genus in North America.