Round-Leaved Dogwood, Cornus rugusa, is an understory species of upland forest, both hardwood and conifer. Semi-shade tolerant, it prefers thinner canopies or openings and wood margins. It has leaves that are simple and opposite, 2-6 inches long by 1½-4 inches wide, broadly elliptical to nearly round, the tip abruptly tapered to a short point, the base rounded to a1/3 to ¾ inch stalk. The upper surface is dark green with short appressed hairs and 6 to 9 evenly spaced, lateral veins per side, the lower surface paler with longer, soft hairs. Edges are smooth.
Twigs are greenish to reddish brown or purplish, flecked with darker pigments, mostly smooth or with very fine, often scattered hairs. Older bark on the lower stems is greenish or brownish gray and roughish from old lenticels (pores).Stems are single or multiple from the ground, mostly straight and nearly simple with spreading branches above. The spreading root system readily suckers, creating colonies.
The flowers are flat to rounded top clusters, 1 to 2¾ inches broad, of short-stalked flowers at the tips of branches. Flowers are creamy white, about ¼ inch across with 4 lance-elliptic petals, the sepals minute. The 4 stamens are longer than the petals, spreading to ascending around the single white style at center. The fruit is a round, berry like drupe, about ¼ inch diameter, white or with a blueish flush, the cluster stalks a dull red often retaining reddish, aborted fruit.