![Alder trees by the Beaulieu River at Longwater Lawn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Alder_trees_by_the_Beaulieu_River_at_Longwater_Lawn.jpg)
Alders are
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family
Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species
of
monoecious
Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy.
Monoecy is conne ...
trees and
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the
north temperate zone with a few species extending into
Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
, as well as the northern and southern
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
.
Description
![LUT SEM Alder pollen 3kx](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/LUT_SEM_Alder_pollen_3kx.jpg)
With a few exceptions, alders are
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
, and the leaves are alternate, simple, and
serrated. The
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are
catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated (as in ''Salix''). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged cl ...
s with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly
wind-pollinated
Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including grasses, sedges, and rushes. Other common anemophilous plan ...
, but also visited by bees to a small extent. These trees differ from the
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 30 ...
es (''Betula'', another genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many
conifer cone
A conifer cone (in formal botany, botanical usage: strobilus, plural strobili) is a seed-bearing organ on gymnosperm plants. It is usually woody, ovoid to globular, including scales and bracts arranged around a central axis, especially in con ...
s.
The largest species are
red alder
''Alnus rubra'', the red alder,
is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana).
Description
Red alder is the largest species of alder in North A ...
(''A. rubra'') on the west coast of North America, and
black alder (''A. glutinosa''),
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to most of Europe and widely introduced elsewhere, both reaching over . By contrast, the widespread ''
Alnus alnobetula'' (green alder) is rarely more than a shrub.
Taxonomy
Classification
The genus is divided into three subgenera:
Subgenus ''Alnus''
Trees with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) but stay closed over winter, pollinating in late winter or early spring, about 15–25 species, including:
* ''
Alnus acuminata
''Alnus acuminata'' is a species of deciduous tree in the Betulaceae family. It is found in montane forests from central Mexico to Argentina.Zuloaga, F. O., O. N. Morrone, M. J. Belgrano, C. Marticorena & E. Marchesi. (eds.) 2008. Catálogo de la ...
''
Kunth – Andean alder, aliso. Mexico, Central and South America.
** subsp. ''acuminata''
Kunth
** subsp. ''arguta''
(Schltdl.) Furlow
** subsp. ''glabrata''
(Fernald) Furlow
* ''
Alnus cordata
''Alnus cordata'', the Italian alder, is a tree or shrub species belonging to the family Betulaceae, and native to the southern Apennine Mountains (Campania, Basilicata and Calabria, mainly on western mountain sides) and the north-eastern mountai ...
''
(Loisel.) Duby – Italian alder. Italy, Corsica.
* ''
Alnus cremastogyne''
Burkill – China.
* ''
Alnus firma''
Siebold & Zucc. –
Kyūshū
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...
Island in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
* ''
Alnus glutinosa
''Alnus glutinosa'', the common alder, black alder, European alder, European black alder, or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to most of Europe, southwest Asia and northern Africa. It thrives in wet locations whe ...
''
(L.) Gaertn. – black alder. Europe, Central Asia.
** subsp. ''barbata''
(C.A.Mey.) Yalt.
** subsp. ''glutinosa''
(L.) Gaertn.
** subsp. ''incisa''
(Willd.) Regel
** subsp. ''laciniata''
(Willd.) Regel
* ''
Alnus hirsuta
''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...
''
(Spach) Rupr. – Manchurian alder. Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Siberia, Russian Far East
![Alnus incana rugosa leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Alnus_incana_rugosa_leaves.jpg)
* ''
Alnus incana''
(L.) Moench
** subsp. ''incana''
(L.) Moench – speckled alder or grey alder. Eurasia, North America
** subsp. ''kolaensis''
(Orlova) Á.Löve & D.Löve
** subsp. ''rugosa''
(Du Roi) R.T.Clausen
** subsp. ''tenuifolia''
(Nutt.) Breitung
* ''
Alnus japonica
''Alnus japonica'', known as Japanese alder, is a species of Alnus
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a larg ...
''
(Thunb.) Steud. – Japanese alder, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, eastern China, Russian Far East
* ''
Alnus jorullensis
''Alnus jorullensis'', commonly known as Mexican alder, is an evergreen or semi-evergreen alder, native to eastern and southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Although previously reported from the Andes, further collections showed these to be th ...
''
Kunth – Mexican alder. Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras.
** subsp. ''lutea''
Furlow
** subsp. ''jorullensis''
Kunth
* ''
Alnus lusitanica
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Vít, Douda, & Mandák - Spain, Portugal, Morocco
* ''
Alnus matsumurae
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Callier –
Honshū
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separa ...
Island in Japan
* ''
Alnus nepalensis''
D.Don – Nepalese alder. Himalayas, Tibet, Yunnan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand.
* ''
Alnus oblongifolia
''Alnus oblongifolia'' (Arizona alder) is a large alder growing up to , from the southwestern United States and northern Sonora, Mexico. It grows across Arizona into western New Mexico mountain ranges. In central Arizona its range extends across ...
''
Torr. – Arizona alder. Arizona, New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua
* ''
Alnus orientalis
''Alnus orientalis'', the Oriental alder, is a deciduous, short-lived species of alder (''Alnus''). It grows up to 50 meters high, and is native to Cyprus and Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' ...
''
Decne. – Oriental alder. Southern Turkey, northwest Syria, Cyprus, Lebanon, Iran
* ''
Alnus rhombifolia''
Nutt. – white alder. California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana
* ''
Alnus rohlenae
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...
''
Vít, Douda, & Mandák - Western Balkans
* ''
Alnus rubra''
Bong. – red alder. Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana.
![Alnus serrulata leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Alnus_serrulata_leaves.jpg)
* ''
Alnus serrulata''
(Aiton) Willd. – hazel alder, tag alder or smooth alder. Eastern North America
* ''
Alnus subcordata
''Alnus subcordata'', the Caucasian alder, is a species in the family Betulaceae, native to Hyrcanian forests of Iran and the Caucasus. It is closely related to the Italian alder (''A. cordata'') and ''Alnus orientalis''.
It is a deciduous tree ...
''
C.A.Mey. – Caucasian alder. Caucasus, Iran
* ''
Alnus tenuifolia
''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...
''
Nutt. – thinleaf or mountain alder. Northwestern North America
* ''
Alnus trabeculosa
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Hand.-Mazz. – China, Japan
Subgenus ''Clethropsis''
Trees or shrubs with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) and expanding and pollinating then, three species:
* ''
Alnus formosana
''Alnus formosana'', the Formosan alder, is a species of alder endemic to Taiwan. It is a medium-sized tree, up to in height and in trunk diameter.
Description
The formosan alder is a trees up to 20 meters in height with dark gray-brown bark ...
''
(Burkill) Makino – Formosan alder. Taiwan
* ''
Alnus maritima
''Alnus maritima'', the seaside alder or brook alder, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Betulaceae. ''Alnus maritima'' is endemic to the United States, and is found naturally in three disjunct populations in Oklahoma, Georgia, a ...
''
(Marshall) Muhl. ex Nutt. – seaside alder. United States (Georgia, Delaware, Maryland, Oklahoma).
* ''
Alnus nitida
''Alnus nitida'', the west Himalayan alder, is a species in the genus ''Alnus'', native to Pakistan, the western Himalayas, and Nepal. It is a tree reaching 20 to 25m, preferring to live along the banks of rivers. It is used locally for timber an ...
''
(Spach) Endl. – Himalayan alder. Western Himalaya, Pakistan, India, Nepal.
Subgenus ''Alnobetula''
Shrubs with shoot buds not stalked, male and female catkins produced in late spring (after leaves appear) and expanding and pollinating then, one to four species:
![Alnus-viridis-leaves](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Alnus-viridis-leaves.JPG)
* ''
Alnus alnobetula''
(Ehrh.) K.Koch
** subsp. ''alnobetula''
(Ehrh.) K.Koch
** subsp. ''crispa''
(Aiton) Raus
** subsp. ''fruticosa''
(Rupr.) Raus
** subsp. ''sinuata''
(Regel) Raus
** subsp. ''suaveolens''
(Req.) Lambinon & Kerguélen
* ''
Alnus firma''
Siebold & Zucc. -
Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...
(Japan)
* ''
Alnus mandshurica
''Alnus mandshurica'' is a species of Alnus
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed t ...
''
(Callier) Hand.-Mazz. –
Russian Far East
The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in Northeast Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asian continent; and is admini ...
, northeastern
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
,
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
* ''
Alnus maximowiczii
''Alnus maximowiczii'', commonly known as montane alder, is a species of alder tree native to Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East (Sakhalin, Primorye, Khabarovsk, Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands (; rus, Кури́льск ...
''
Callier – Japan, Korea, Russian Far East
* ''
Alnus pendula
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...
''
Matsum. -
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
and
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
(Japan)
* ''
Alnus sieboldiana
''Alnus sieboldiana'' (オオバヤシャブシ in Japanese) is an alder species found on the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Suwanose-jima in Japan.
''A. sieboldiana'' contains the ellagitannins alnusiin, tellimagrandin I, pedunculagin, ...
''
Matsum. -
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island separ ...
,
Shikoku, and
Suwanose-jima
is one of the Tokara Islands, belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture. The island covers 27.66 km² in area and has a population of 48 people. Although the island has an airport, there are no regularly scheduled services, and access is normally ...
(Japan)
Not assigned to a subgenus
* ''
Alnus fauriei
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
H.Lév. & Vaniot – Honshu Island in Japan
* ''
Alnus ferdinandi-coburgii
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
C.K.Schneid. – southern China
* ''
Alnus glutipes
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
(Jarm. ex Czerpek) Vorosch.
* ''
Alnus hakkodensis
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Hayashi – Honshu Island in Japan
* ''
Alnus henryi''
C.K.Schneid. – Taiwan
* ''
Alnus lanata
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Duthie ex Bean – Sichuan Province in China
* ''
Alnus mairei
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
H.Lév. – Yunnan Province in China
* ''
Alnus paniculata
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Nakai – Korea
* ''
Alnus serrulatoides
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Callier – Japan
* ''
Alnus vermicularis
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Nakai – Korea
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species is unresolved:
* ''Alnus balatonialis''
Borbás
* ''Alnus cuneata''
Geyer ex Walp.
* ''Alnus dimitrovii''
Jordanov & Kitanov
* ''Alnus djavanshirii''
H.Zare – Iran
* ''Alnus dolichocarpa''
H.Zare, Amini & Assadi – Iran
* ''Alnus figerti''
Callier
* ''Alnus frangula''
L. ex Huth
* ''Alnus gigantea''
Nakai
* ''Alnus glandulosa''
Sarg.
* ''Alnus henedae''
Sugim.
* ''Alnus hybrida''
Rchb.
* ''Alnus laciniata''
Ehrh.
* ''Alnus lobata''
Nyman
* ''Alnus microphylla''
Arv.-Touv.
* ''Alnus obtusifolia''
Mert. ex Regel
* ''Alnus oxyacantha''
Lavalle
* ''Alnus subrotunda''
Desf.
* ''Alnus vilmoriana''
Lebas
* ''Alnus washingtonia''
Wetzel
Hybrids
The following hybrids have been described:
* ''
Alnus × elliptica
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Req.—Italy. (''A. cordata'' × ''A. glutinosa'')
![AlnusXspaethii](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/AlnusXspaethii.jpg)
* ''
Alnus × fallacina
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Callier—Ohio, New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine. (''A. incana'' subsp. ''rugosa'' × ''A. serrulata'')
* ''
Alnus × hanedae
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Suyinata—Japan. (''A. firma'' × ''A. sieboldiana'')
* ''
Alnus × hosoii
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Mizush.—Japan. (''A. maximowiczii'' × ''A. pendula'')
* ''
Alnus × mayrii
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Callier—Russian Far East, Japan. (''A. hirsuta'' × ''A. japonica'')
* ''
Alnus × peculiaris
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...
''
Hiyama—Kyūshū
is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surround ...
Island in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. (''A. firma'' × ''A. pendula'')
* ''
Alnus × pubescens
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few spec ...
''
Tausch.—Northern and central Europe. (''A. glutinosa'' × ''A. incana'')
* ''
Alnus × suginoi
Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the Temperate climate, north temperate z ...
''
Sugim.—Japan.
The status of the following hybrids is unresolved:
* ''Alnus'' × ''aschersoniana''
Callier
* ''Alnus'' × ''koehnei''
Callier
* ''Alnus'' × ''ljungeri''
Murai
* ''Alnus'' × ''purpusii''
Callier
* ''Alnus'' × ''silesiaca''
Fiek
* ''Alnus'' × ''spaethii''
Callier (''A. japonica'' × ''A. subcordata'')
Fossils
*
†
A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species). It is one of the modern descendan ...
''
Alnus heterodonta
''Alnus heterodonta'' is an extinct species of alder from the early Oligocene Bridge Creek floras of Central Oregon
References
Oligocene plants
heterodonta
Heteroconchia is a taxonomic infraclass of saltwater clams, marine bivalve mo ...
''
(Newberry) Meyer & Manchester 1987 – Oligocene fossil, Oregon
Phylogeny
The oldest fossil pollen that can be identified as ''Alnus'' is from northern
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
, dating to the late
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), E ...
, around 58 million years ago.
Etymology
The common name ''alder'' evolved from the Old English word ''alor'', which in turn is derived from
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages.
Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic branc ...
root ''aliso''.
The generic name ''Alnus'' is the equivalent
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
name, from whence French ''aulne'' and Spanish ''Alamo'' (Spanish term for "
poplar").
Ecology
Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands. Sometimes where the prevalence of alders is particularly prominent these are called
alder carrs. In the
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
of North America, the
white alder (''Alnus rhombifolia'') unlike other northwest alders, has an affinity for warm, dry climates, where it grows along watercourses, such as along the lower
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
east of the Cascades and the Snake River, including Hells Canyon.
Alder leaves and sometimes catkins are used as food by
numerous butterflies and moths.
''A. glutinosa'' and ''A. viridis'' are classed as environmental weeds in New Zealand. Alder leaves and especially the roots are important to the ecosystem because they
enrich the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients.
Nitrogen fixation and succession of woodland species
Alder is particularly noted for its important
symbiotic
Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...
relationship with ''
Frankia alni
''Frankia alni'' is a Gram-positive species of actinomycete filamentous bacterium that lives in symbiosis with actinorhizal plants in the genus ''Alnus''. It is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium and forms nodules on the roots of alder trees.
Distrib ...
'', an
actinomycete
The Actinomycetales is an order of Actinomycetota. A member of the order is often called an actinomycete. Actinomycetales are generally gram-positive and anaerobic and have mycelia in a filamentous and branching growth pattern. Some actinomycete ...
,
filamentous
The word filament, which is descended from Latin ''filum'' meaning " thread", is used in English for a variety of thread-like structures, including:
Astronomy
* Galaxy filament, the largest known cosmic structures in the universe
* Solar filament ...
, nitrogen-fixing
bacterium
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...
. This bacterium is found in
root nodule
Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria known a ...
s, which may be as large as a human fist, with many small lobes, and light brown in colour. The bacterium absorbs
nitrogen
Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...
from the air and makes it available to the tree. Alder, in turn, provides the bacterium with
sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...
s, which it produces through
photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...
. As a result of this mutually beneficial relationship, alder improves the
fertility of the soil where it grows, and as a
pioneer species, it helps provide additional nitrogen for the
successional species to follow.
Because of its abundance, red alder delivers large amounts of nitrogen to enrich forest soils. Red alder stands have been found to supply between of nitrogen annually to the soil. From Alaska to Oregon, ''Alnus viridis'' subsp. ''sinuata'' (''A. sinuata'', Sitka Alder or Slide Alder), characteristically pioneer fresh, gravelly sites at the foot of retreating glaciers. Studies show that Sitka alder, a more shrubby variety of alder, adds nitrogen to the soil at an average rate of per year, helping convert the sterile glacial terrain to soil capable of supporting a conifer forest. Alders are common among the first species to colonize disturbed areas from floods, windstorms, fires, landslides, etc. Alder groves often serve as natural firebreaks since these broad-leaved trees are much less flammable than conifers. Their foliage and leaf litter does not carry a fire well, and their thin bark is sufficiently resistant to protect them from light surface fires. In addition, the light weight of alder seedsnumbering allows for easy dispersal by the wind. Although it outgrows
coastal Douglas-fir
''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' var. ''menziesii'', commonly known as Coast Douglas-fir, Pacific Douglas-fir, Oregon pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer native to western North America from west-central British Columbia, Canada southward t ...
for the first 25 years, it is very
shade intolerant and seldom lives more than 100 years. Red alder is the Pacific Northwest's largest alder and the most plentiful and commercially important broad-leaved tree in the coastal Northwest. Groves of red alder in diameter intermingle with young Douglas-fir forests west of the Cascades, attaining a maximum height of in about sixty years and then are afflicted by
heart rot
300px, The bracket fungus '' Fistulina hepatica'' is one of many that cause heart rot.
In trees, heart rot is a fungal disease that causes the decay of wood at the center of the trunk and branches. Fungi enter the tree through wounds in the bark ...
. Alders largely help create conditions favorable for giant conifers that replace them.
An alder root nodule gall.JPG, alt=An alder root nodule, Whole root nodule
A sectioned alder root nodule gall.JPG, alt=A sectioned alder root nodule, Sectioned root nodules
Parasites
Alder roots are parasitized by
northern groundcone.
Uses
![Wappen at grossarl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Wappen_at_grossarl.png)
The catkins of some alder species have a degree of edibility,
and may be rich in protein. Reported to have a bitter and unpleasant taste, they are more useful for survival purposes. The wood of certain alder species is often used to smoke various food items such as
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
S ...
,
salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
, and other seafood.
Most of the
pilings that form the foundation of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
were made from alder trees.
Alder bark contains the anti-inflammatory
salicin
Salicin is an alcoholic β-glucoside. Salicin is produced in (and named after) willow (''Salix'') bark. It is a biosynthetic precursor to salicylaldehyde.
Medicinal aspects
Salicin is found in the bark of and leaves of willows, poplars and va ...
, which is metabolized into
salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4CO2H. A colorless, bitter-tasting solid, it is a precursor to and a metabolite of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). It is a plant hormone, and has been listed by the EPA Toxic Substance ...
in the body. Some Native American cultures use red alder bark (''
Alnus rubra'') to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. Blackfeet Indians have traditionally used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders and
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains
betulin
Betulin is an abundant, naturally occurring triterpene. It is commonly isolated from the bark of birch trees. It forms up to 30% of the dry weight of silver birch bark. It is also found in birch sap. '' Inonotus obliquus'' and red alder also co ...
and
lupeol, compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors.
The inner bark of the alder, as well as
red osier dogwood, or
chokecherry
''Prunus virginiana'', commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry (also black chokecherry for ''P. virginiana'' var. ''demissa''), is a species of bird cherry (''Prunus'' subgenus ''Padus'') nat ...
, is used by some
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples.
Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...
in smoking mixtures, known as ''kinnikinnick'', to improve the taste of the
bearberry leaf.
Alder is illustrated in the coat of arms for the Austrian town of
Grossarl
Grossarl (Großarl) is a market town in the St. Johann im Pongau district in the state of Salzburg in western central Austria. The valley Grossarltal got its name from Grossarl.
Geography Location
The market town is located in the Grossarl V ...
.
Electric guitars, most notably those manufactured by the
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC, or simply Fender) is an American manufacturer of instruments and amplifiers. Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment, however it is best known for its ...
, have been built with alder bodies since the 1950s. Alder is appreciated for its tone that is claimed to be tight and evenly balanced, especially when compared to mahogany, and has been adopted by many electric guitar manufacturers.
As a
hardwood
Hardwood is wood from dicot trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. Hardwood (which comes from ...
, alder is used in making furniture, cabinets, and other woodworking products.
Alder bark and wood (like
oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
and
sweet chestnut) contain
tannin
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.
The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', ...
and are traditionally used to tan leather.
A red dye can also be extracted from the outer bark, and a yellow dye from the inner bark.
Culture
Ermanno Olmi
Ermanno Olmi (24 July 1931 – 7 May 2018)Lane, John Francis (May 7, 2018).Ermanno Olmi obituary. ''The Guardian''. theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 May 2018. was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
Biography
Olmi was born to a Catholic ...
's movie ''
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
''The Tree of Wooden Clogs'' () is a 1978 Italian film written and directed by Ermanno Olmi. The film concerns Lombard peasant life in a '' cascina'' (farmhouse) of the late 19th century. It has some similarities with the earlier Italian neor ...
'' (''L' Albero Degli Zoccoli,'' 1978) refers in its title to alder, typically used to make clogs as in this movie's plot.
Ontano nero
(''tr. Black Alder'') accessed 17 November 2020 ''uomoenatura.it''
References
Further reading
*
External links
Flora Europaea: ''Alnus''
Flora of Bolivia: ''Alnus''
Flora of China: ''Alnus''
Flora of North America: ''Alnus''
Flora of Pakistan: ''Alnus''
{{Authority control
Taxa named by Philip Miller