''Peraphyllum'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the

rose family Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

, containing the single species ''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'', commonly known as the squaw apple or wild crab apple. Translated from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

, the genus ''Peraphyllum'' means "very leafy" and the species name ''ramosissimum'' means "many branches". ''Peraphyllum'' is most closely related to '' Amelanchier'', ''

Malacomeles ''Malacomeles'', or false serviceberry, is a genus of flowering plants in the Rosaceae. It is most closely related to '' Amelanchier'', ''Peraphyllum'', ''Crataegus'', and ''Mespilus ''Mespilus'', commonly called medlar, is a monotypic genu ...

'', ''

Crataegus ''Crataegus'' (), commonly called hawthorn, quickthorn, thornapple, Voss, E. G. 1985. ''Michigan Flora: A guide to the identification and occurrence of the native and naturalized seed-plants of the state. Part II: Dicots (Saururaceae–Cornacea ...

'', and ''

Mespilus ''Mespilus'', commonly called medlar, is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae containing the single species ''Mespilus germanica'' of southwest Asia. It is also found in some countries in the Balkans, especially in Alba ...

''.

Distribution

''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' grows in California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico usually in

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

and

juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...

woodlands. In California it can be found in the High Cascades, High Sierra Nevada,

Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic basin, endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California ...

, and

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...

sky island Sky islands are topographic isolation, isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. The term originally referred to those found on the Mexican Plateau, and has extended to similarly isolated montane ecosystems, hi ...

Description

''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' is a

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 ...

which may reach in height and bears small

pome In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Well-known pomes include the apple, pear, and quince. Etymology The word ''pome'' entered English in the late 14th century, and re ...

s about wide. The leaves are

simple Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by Johnn ...

; they can grow very close together on short shoots but are well separated on longer shoots.Janene Auger and Justin G. Smith, ''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' Nutt., squaw-apple in ''Woody Plant Seed Manual Interim Web Site''
Like most other flowering plants of the Rosaceae, ''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' has 5

petals Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usually ...

and 5

sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

with

radial symmetry Symmetry in biology refers to the symmetry observed in organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria. External symmetry can be easily seen by just looking at an organism. For example, take the face of a human being which has a pla ...

. The flowers have about 15-20 free

stamens The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

, the

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are white to rose in color.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Peraphyllum ramosissimum''USDA PLANTS entry for ''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' (wild crab apple)''Peraphyllum ramosissimum'' — U.C. Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3487167 Maleae Monotypic Rosaceae genera Flora of California Flora of Nevada Flora of Oregon Flora of Idaho Flora of Utah Flora of Colorado Flora of New Mexico Flora of the Great Basin Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Flora without expected TNC conservation status