any of a genus (Aucuba) of evergreen shrubs of the dogwood family, grown for their variegated foliage and red berries
Origin:
ModL, prob. < Jpn < ao, green + ki, tree + ha, leaf
See aucuba in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Any of several eastern Asian evergreen shrubs of the genus Aucuba, especially A. japonica, grown as an ornamental chiefly for its glossy, leathery leaves.