Alnus viridis subsp. fruticosa

(Ruprecht) Nyman

Consp. Fl. Eur., 672. 1881.

Common names: Siberian alder
Basionym: Alnus fruticosa Ruprecht Distr. Crypt. Vasc. Ross., 53. 1845
Synonyms: Alnus viridis var. fruticosa (Ruprecht) Regel
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Shrubs, spreading, to 3 (–6) m. Bark gray-brown; lenticels pale. Leaf-blade dark green, broadly ovate, 5–8 (–10) × 3–6 (–7) cm, base rounded to nearly truncate or nearly cordate, margins flat, sharply and densely doubly serrate, apex acute to short-acuminate; surfaces abaxially glabrous to sparsely pubescent, especially on veins, moderately to heavily resin-coated. Inflorescences: staminate catkins 3.5–6 cm. Infructescences 1.2–2 × 0.5–1.2 cm; peduncles 1–3 cm. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Rocky or sandy coasts, stream banks, lakeshores, and damp, open areas
Elevation: 0–500 m

Distribution

V3 506-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Calif., Oreg., Wash., n Asia

Discussion

This primarily subarctic Asian subspecies has long been mistaken in western North America for Alnus viridis subsp. crispa, which it closely resembles, or for subsp. sinuata (J. J. Furlow 1983b). It can be separated from the former by its larger and more coarsely toothed leaves, and from the latter by its much thicker, mostly single-toothed leaf blades.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number.

acute +  and short-acuminate +
John J. Furlow +
(Ruprecht) Nyman +
tanniferous +  and furrowed +
gray-brown +
exfoliating +
rounded +  and nearly truncate or nearly cordate +
Alnus fruticosa +
2 +  and 3 +
in relatively small racemose clusters +  and solitary +
solitary +, cluster +  and racemose +
erect +  and nearly pendulous +
proximal +  and lateral +
ovoid +  and ellipsoid +
expanding +
3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Siberian alder +
multibracteate +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Calif. +, Oreg. +, Wash. +  and n Asia +
0–500 m +
pistillate +  and staminate +
reduced +  and small +
small +  and large +
Rocky or sandy coasts, stream banks, lakeshores, and damp, open areas +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
ovoid +  and ellipsoid or nearly cylindric +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
membranaceous +  and leathery +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
3-ranked +  and nearly 2-ranked +
conspicuous +  and inconspicuous +
unenlarged +  and small +
serrulate to coarsely +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
not obvious +  and defined +
membranaceous +
Flowering spring. +
2(-3)-carpellate +
Consp. Fl. Eur., +
1-seeded +  and 2-winged +
elliptic;obovate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
4 +  and 6 +
unequal +
expanding +
thicker +  and thin +
nearly +  and distinct +
resin-coated +
abaxially glabrous;sparsely pubescent +
Alnus viridis var. fruticosa +
Alnus viridis subsp. fruticosa +
Alnus viridis +
subspecies +
excurrent +  and deliquescent +
differentiated +  and uniform +
300 cm3,000 mm <br />3 m <br /> (600 cm6,000 mm <br />6 m <br />) +
membranaceous +
tanniferous +
light +  and white +