Cercocarpus betuloides

Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree in the rose family.[2] Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany[2][3] The common name "mahogany" comes from the hardness and color of the wood, although the genus is not a true mahogany.[2]

Mountain mahogany
var. blancheae in fruit
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Cercocarpus
Species:
C. betuloides
Binomial name
Cercocarpus betuloides
Nutt. 1840
Natural range of Cercocarpus betuloides
Synonyms[1]

Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber (S. Watson) F.L. Martin

Range and habitat

The plant is native to California, Baja California, Oregon, Arizona, and northwestern New Mexico.[4] It typically grows in summer dry areas of the foothills and mountains of California, often in chaparral communities.[2]

Description

Growth pattern

Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree growing from 3 feet (0.91 m) to 30 feet (9.1 m).[2][5] 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.[6]

Leaves and stems

The leaves are distinctive in that they have smooth edges from the base to about half way up, then are wavy or toothed to the rounded tip.[2]

Betula is the birch genus, and the species name refers to the birch-like leaves.[2]

Inflorescence and fruit

The white flowers are small, clustered, and mildly scented, similar to acacia.[2]

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
Varieties

There are three varieties:[7][8]

  • Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides, rangewide
  • Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae – Catalina mahogany, island mountain mahogany, limited to California, especially the Channel Islands[9][10]
  • Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus – few flowered mountain mahogany, California and Oregon[11][12]

Cercocarpus betuloides is sometimes treated as a part of Cercocarpus montanus,[13] var. glaber in particular.[14]

Uses

Deer, cattle and sheep browse the plant.[15]

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.[2]

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.[16][17]

References
  1. The Plant List, Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber (S.Watson) F.L.Martin
  2. Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale,2nd Ed, 2000, p. 170
  3. Calflora taxon report, University of California, Cercocarpus betuloides Torrey & A. GrayMountain mahogany, birch leaf mountain mahogany . accessed 2.28.2015
  4. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  5. Abrams, L. (1951). Illustrated Flora of the Pacific States. Stanford University Press. 874 pages ISBN 0-8047-0004-4
  6. Hogan, C. M. (2008). Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia). Archived July 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine GlobalTwitcher, ed. N. Stromberg.
  7. "Cercocarpus betuloides". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  8. Cercocarpus betuloides. CalFlora.
  9. Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae. The Jepson Manual, 2012.
  10. Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae. CalFlora.
  11. Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus. The Jepson Manual, 2012.
  12. Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus. CalFlora.
  13. Cercocarpus montanus. NatureServe. 2012.
  14. Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber. USDA PLANTS . accessed 2.28.2015
  15. Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 388. ISBN 0-394-73127-1.
  16. Las Pilitas Horticulture Database: Cercocarpus betuloides (Mountain Mahogany) . accessed 2.28.2015
  17. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Information Network−NPIN: Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber (Smooth mountain mahogany) . accessed 2.28.2015
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