Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus

(S. Watson) M. E. Jones

Bot. Gaz. 5: 154. 1880.

Common names: Littleleaf or dwarf mountain-mahogany
Endemic
Basionym: Cercocarpus intricatus S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 346. 1875
Synonyms: C. arizonicus M. E. Jones C. intricatus var. villosus C. K. Schneider
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 9. Treatment on page 338. Mentioned on page 337.

Shrubs, 5–25 dm. Stems: long-shoot internodes 4–13 mm, sparsely villous, sericeous, or pilose, glabrescent, rarely glabrous; short-shoots 2–10 (–17) × 1–1.5 mm. Leaves: petiole 0.4–1.4 (–2) mm; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, (3–) 5–13 (–18) × 1–1.5 (–2) mm, margins strongly revolute (central groove 0.1–0.9 mm wide on abaxial surface in dried leaves), abaxial surface (largely obscured by leaf margins except on raised midvein where moderately, rarely densely hairy) usually villous, sometimes sericeous or hirsute, adaxial villous, sericeous, or hirsute, sometimes glabrescent, or glabrous. Flowers 1–5 per short-shoot; hypanthial tubes strongly villous or sericeous; sepals 1–1.5 mm. Achenes 6–7 × 0.8–1.3 mm; fruit awns 3–4.5 cm, proximal setae 1.8–2.5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering late Mar–early Jun.
Habitat: Exposed, rocky slopes, ledges, bluffs with shallow soil, often cracks and crevices, alluvial slopes of limestone, dolomite, sandstone, or granite, with Artemisia, Coleogyne, Ephedra, Nolina, Purshia, pinyon and ponderosa pine, oaks, juniper woodlands
Elevation: 1000–2400(–3100) m

Distribution

V9 555-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Colo., Nev., N.Mex., Utah, Wyo.

Discussion

Variety intricatus is distinguished by rigid, moderately to strongly branched growth habit and stems densely clothed by linear, coriaceous, strongly revolute leaves with the abaxial surface exposed only along a narrow central groove. Long-shoot leaves are often larger than those of short shoots.

Variety intricatus is often treated as a distinct species; it is known to hybridize with var. intermontanus and var. ledifolius. Here, var. intricatus is restricted to plants with relatively small leaves. Variants with larger leaves, possible introgressants with the other taxa, are placed in var. ledifolius.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

hirsute +, sericeous +  and villous +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0.3mm +  and 1.5mm +
0.8mm +  and 1.3mm +
glabrous +, glabrescent +, hirsute +, sericeous +  and villous +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
apiculate-mucronate;obtuse-rounded +
James Henrickson +  and Brian D. Vanden Heuvel +
(S. Watson) M. E. Jones +
maroon-brown +, silvery +  and dark gray or brownish black +
compound +  and simple +
opposite +  and alternate +
cuneate +
Cercocarpus intricatus +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (7.8 cm78 mm <br />0.078 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
linear +  and linear-lanceolate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
coriaceous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (?) +
free +  and distinct +
Littleleaf or dwarf mountain-mahogany +
hemispheric-campanulate +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, Utah +  and Wyo. +
not +  and aggregated +
1000–2400(–3100) m +
eglandular +  and veined +
hairy +  and glabrous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
1 +  and 5 +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
not +  and aggregated +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br /> (1.35 cm13.5 mm <br />0.0135 m <br />) +
cylindro-fusiform +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
chartaceous-coriaceous +
Exposed, rocky slopes, ledges, bluffs with shallow soil, often cracks and crevices, alluvial slopes of limestone, dolomite, sandstone, or granite, with Artemisia, Coleogyne, Ephedra, Nolina, Purshia, pinyon and ponderosa pine, oaks, juniper woodlands +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
sericeous +  and villous +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br />) +
cylindric +, funnelform-turbinate +, obconic +  and saucer--shaped +
cinnamon brown +, tinged reddish +  and greenish yellow +
1-3(-18)-flowered +
crassinucellate +
drought-deciduous +  and persistent +
reduced +
flexuous +  and straight +
glabrous +, glabrescent +, pilose +, sericeous +  and villous +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
entire +, crenate +, dentate +, flat +  and revolute +
inferior +  and superior +
clustered +, biseriate +  and superposed +
0 (?) +  and 4 (?) +
free +  and distinct +
5 +  and 4 +
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br />) +
Flowering late Mar–early Jun. +
adnate +, free +, connate +  and distinct +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
not arillate +
deciduous +
free +  and distinct +
erect +  and reflexed +
acute-obtuse +  and deltate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
not +  and branched +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
free +  and distinct +
1 +  and 20 +
adnate +  and free +
lanceolate;ovate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.38 cm3.8 mm <br />0.0038 m <br />) +
persistent +
distinct +
basal +, lateral +, subterminal +  and terminal +
elongate +
C. arizonicus +  and C. intricatus var. villosus +
Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus +
Cercocarpus ledifolius +
variety +
inconspicuous +
hemispheric +