''Cercocarpus'', commonly known as mountain mahogany, is a small genus of at least nine species of
nitrogen-fixing
Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (), with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia () or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. Atmo ...
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 ...
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, 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''. They are subshrubs, shrubs, or small trees with a base ...
.
Members of the genus are
deciduous shrubs 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 commo ...
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
''Cercocarpus betuloides'' is a shrub or small tree in the rose family.Flowering Plants of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale,2nd Ed, 2000, p. 170 Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany The common name " ...
''
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
''Cercocarpus breviflorus'', commonly known as desert mountain mahogany or hairy mountain mahogany, is a species of plant in the rose family, native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Description
''Cercocarpus breviflorus'' ...
''
A. Gray – hairy mountain mahogany
* ''
Cercocarpus douglasii
''Cercocarpus douglasii'', common name Klamath mountain mahogany, is a plant species native to northern California and southwestern Oregon.
''Cercocarpus douglasii'' is a tree up to 5 meters (17 feet) tall with rough, gray bark. Leaves are obl ...
''
Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus fothergilloides
''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 ...
''
Kunth
** var. ''fothergilloides''
Kunth
** var. ''mojadensis''
(C.K. Schneid.) Henrickson
* ''
Cercocarpus intricatus
''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' var. ''intricatus'' (little-leaf mountain mahogany, narrowleaf mahogany,Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, ...
''
S.Watson
* ''
Cercocarpus ledifolius
''Cercocarpus ledifolius'' is a North American species of mountain mahogany known by the common name curl-leaf mountain mahogany. It is widespread across much of the Western United States as well as Baja California in Mexico. It can be found at ...
''
Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray – curl-leaf mountain mahogany
* ''
Cercocarpus macrophyllus
''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.
* ''
Cercocarpus mexicanus
''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
* ''
Cercocarpus mojadensis''
C.K.Schneid.
* ''
Cercocarpus montanus''
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''
(C.K.Schneid.) Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus rotundifolius''
Rydb.
* ''
Cercocarpus rzedowskii''
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