Cercocarpus betuloides explained
Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree in the rose family.[1] Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany[1] [2] The common name "mahogany" comes from the hardness and color of the wood, although the genus is not a true mahogany.[1]
Range and habitat
The plant is native to California, Baja California, Oregon, Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.[3] It typically grows in summer dry areas of the foothills and mountains of California, often in chaparral communities.[1]
Description
Growth pattern
Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree growing from 3feet to 30feet.[1] [4] Its branches are incised and muscular in appearance from the side. In cross section they appear lobed.
Common shrub associates within the chaparral community include toyon.[5]
Leaves and stems
The leaves are distinctive in that they have smooth edges from the base to about halfway up, then are wavy or toothed to the rounded tip.[1]
Betula is the birch genus, and the species name refers to the birch-like leaves.[1]
Inflorescence and fruit
The white flowers are small, clustered, and mildly scented, similar to acacia.[1]
The fruit is a tubular achene with the long, plumelike flower style still attached.
The genus name comes from the Greek kerkos ("tail"), referring to the tail-like appearance of the fruit; and carpus ("fruit"), thus, "fruit with tail".
Taxonomy
- VarietiesThere are three varieties:[6]
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides, rangewide
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae - Catalina mahogany, island mountain mahogany, limited to California, especially the Channel Islands[7] [8]
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus - few flowered mountain mahogany, California and Oregon[9] [10]
Cercocarpus betuloides is sometimes treated as a part of Cercocarpus montanus,[11] var. glaber in particular.[12]
Uses
Deer, cattle and sheep browse the plant.[13]
The reddish wood of the shrub is very hard and was traditionally used by the indigenous peoples of California to make arrow tips, fishing spears, and digging sticks.[1]
Cercocarpus betuloides is cultivated as an ornamental plant by specialty nurseries for planting in native plant, drought tolerant, and wildlife gardens; and in designed natural landscaping projects and habitat restoration programs.[14] [15]
External links
Notes and References
- Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale,2nd Ed, 2000, p. 170
- http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cercocarpus+betuloides Calflora taxon report, University of California, Cercocarpus betuloides Torrey & A. GrayMountain mahogany, birch leaf mountain mahogany
- http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Cercocarpus%20betuloides.png Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
- Abrams, L. (1951). Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press. 874 pages
- Hogan, C. M. (2008). Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia). GlobalTwitcher, ed. N. Stromberg.
- http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=1878 Cercocarpus betuloides.
- http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=56210 Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae.
- http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cercocarpus+betuloides+var.+blancheae&one=T Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae.
- http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cercocarpus+betuloides+var.+macrourus&one=T Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus.
- http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Cercocarpus+betuloides+var.+macrourus&one=T Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus.
- http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Cercocarpus+betuloides Cercocarpus montanus.
- http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CEMOG Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber.
- Book: Whitney, Stephen . Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides) . 1985 . Knopf . New York . 0-394-73127-1 . 388 .
- http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/193--cercocarpus-betuloides Las Pilitas Horticulture Database: Cercocarpus betuloides (Mountain Mahogany)
- http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CEMOG Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network−NPIN: Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber (Smooth mountain mahogany)
