''Arbutus occidentalis'' or the Mexican Madrone is a small tree species in the

heath family The Ericaceae () are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with about 4,250 known species spread across 124 genera, maki ...

, that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. It is only known from a few areas in Western Mexico where it grows on rocky slopes. It produces red edible berries that are valuable food to

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introdu ...

Distribution

The plant is found in montane Mexico from Chihuahua to

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

.McVaugh, Rogers & Rosatti, Thomas James. 1978. A new species of ''Arbutus'' (Ericaceae) from western Mexico. Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 11(5): 301–304
includes line drawings of ''Arbutus occidentalis'' and ''Arbutus xalapensis'' on page 303García-Mendoza, A. J. & J. A. Meave. 2011. Diversidad Florística de Oaxaca: de Musgos a Angispermas 1–351. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria It is found in pine forests, spreading on cliff summits and steep rocky slopes.Pacific Horticulture magazine: "The Madrones"
Spring 1983 issue.

Description

''Arbutus occidentalis'' is a low growing shrub, growing in height. In places it forms colonies more than ) wide. The branches are covered with thin red bark. Leaves are long, by wide. They have teeth along the edges. The red fruits are about across and fleshy.

Variations

Two regional variations of ''Arbutus occidentalis'' were formerly distinguished as

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

: *''Arbutus occidentalis'' var. ''occidentalis'' —almost smooth leaved, located in Central Mexico from

Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

in the

Sierra Madre Occidental The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through northwestern and western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American C ...

. *''Arbutus occidentalis'' var. ''villosa'' — leaves copiously covered beneath with wooly, villous hairs, located further south from Michoacan to

in the

Sierra Madre del Sur The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca. Geography The Sierra Madre del Sur joins with the Eje Volcánico Transv ...

mountains.

References

occidentalis Endemic flora of Mexico Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of Southwestern Mexico Flora of the Sierra Madre Occidental Flora of the Sierra Madre del Sur Plants described in 1978 {{Ericaceae-stub