''Cercocarpus'', commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of at least nine species of
nitrogen-fixing flowering plants in the rose family,
Rosaceae
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 ...
. They are native to the western
United States and northern
Mexico, where they grow in
chaparral
Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean c ...
and
semidesert
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
habitats and climates, often at high altitudes. Several are found in the
California chaparral and woodlands
The California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of southwestern Oregon, northern, central, and southern California (United States) and northwestern Baja California (Mexico), located on the west coast of North America. It is a ...
ecoregion.
The classification of ''Cercocarpus'' within the Rosaceae has been unclear. The genus has been placed in the subfamily
Rosoideae
The rose subfamily Rosoideae consists of more than 850 species, including many shrubs, perennial herbs, and fruit plants such as strawberries and brambles. Only a few are annual herbs.
The circumscription of the Rosoideae is still not wholly cer ...
, but is now placed in subfamily
Dryadoideae
The subfamily Dryadoideae consists of four genera in the family Rosaceae,. all of which contain representative species with root nodules that host the nitrogen-fixing bacterium ''Frankia
''Frankia'' is a genus of nitrogen-fixing bacteria ...
.
Members of the genus are
deciduous 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 or small
trees, typically reaching heights of 3–6 m (9–18 ft) tall, but exceptionally up to 13 m (40 ft) high. ''
C. montanus'' usually remains under 1 m (3 ft) high because of incessant browsing by
elk
The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...
and
deer.
The name is derived from the
Greek words κέρκος (''kerkos''), meaning "tail" and καρπός (''karpos''), meaning "fruit". It refers to the tail-like plume on the fruits.
Taxonomy
Species
''Cercocarpus'' comprises the following species:
* ''
Cercocarpus betuloides''
Nutt. – birch-leaf mountain mahogany
** var. ''betuloides''
Nutt.
** var. ''blancheae''
(C.K. Schneid.) Little – island mountain mahogany
** var. ''traskiae''
(Eastw.) Dunkle – Catalina Island mountain mahogany
* ''
Cercocarpus breviflorus''
A. Gray – hairy mountain mahogany
* ''
Cercocarpus douglasii''
Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus fothergilloides''
Kunth
** var. ''fothergilloides''
Kunth
** var. ''mojadensis''
(C.K. Schneid.) Henrickson
* ''
Cercocarpus intricatus''
S.Watson
* ''
Cercocarpus ledifolius''
Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray – curl-leaf mountain mahogany
* ''
Cercocarpus macrophyllus''
C.K.Schneid.
* ''
Cercocarpus mexicanus''
Henrard
* ''
Cercocarpus mojadensis
''Cercocarpus fothergilloides'' is a Mexican plant species in the rose family. It is widely distributed in northern and eastern Mexico, from Tamaulipas and Coahuila south as far as Oaxaca.
Description
''Cercocarpus fothergilloides'' is a shrub ...
''
C.K.Schneid.
* ''
Cercocarpus montanus
''Cercocarpus montanus'' is a North American species of shrub or small tree in the family Rosaceae native to northern Mexico and the western United States. It is known by the common names alder-leaf mountain-mahogany, alder-leaf cercocarpus, an ...
''
Raf.
** var. ''argenteus''
(Rydb.) F.L.Martin – silver mountain mahogany
** var. ''glaber''
(S.Watson) F.L.Martin
** var. ''macrourus''
(Rydb.) F.L.Martin
** var. ''minutiflorus''
(Abrams) F.L.Martin – smooth mountain mahogany
** var. ''montanus''
Raf. – alder-leaf mountain mahogany
** var. ''paucidentatus''
(S.Watson) F.L.Martin
* ''
Cercocarpus pringlei
''Cercocarpus'', commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of at least nine species of nitrogen-fixing flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow i ...
''
(C.K.Schneid.) Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus rotundifolius
''Cercocarpus'', commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of at least nine species of nitrogen-fixing flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow i ...
''
Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus rzedowskii
''Cercocarpus'', commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of at least nine species of nitrogen-fixing flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow i ...
''
Henrard
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species and hybrids is unresolved:
* ''Cercocarpus antiquus''
Lesq.
* ''Cercocarpus arizonicus''
M.E.Jones
* ''Cercocarpus betulaefolius''
C.K.Schneid.
* ''Cercocarpus betulaefolius''
Nutt. ex Hook.
* ''Cercocarpus breviflorus''
S.Watson
* ''Cercocarpus cuneatus''
Dorf
* ''Cercocarpus fothergilloides''
Torr.
* ''Cercocarpus harneyensis''
C.A.Arnold
* ''Cercocarpus macrophyllus''
C.K.Schneid.
* ''Cercocarpus miniscalchii''
(A.Massal.) Principi
* ''Cercocarpus orestesi''
Knowlt.
* ''Cercocarpus pallidus''
Wooton
* ''Cercocarpus parviflorus''
Wooton
* ''Cercocarpus parvifolius''
Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.
* ''Cercocarpus praefoliolosa''
R.W.Br.
* ''Cercocarpus praeledifolius''
E.W.Berry
* ''Cercocarpus ravenscragensis''
E.W.Berry
* ''Cercocarpus treleasei''
C.K.Schneid.
References
External links
*
*
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Cercocarpus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2699712
Rosaceae genera