Biology:Amelanchier lamarckii

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Amelanchier lamarckii
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Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Amelanchier
Species:
A. lamarckii
Binomial name
Amelanchier lamarckii
F.G.Schroed.

Amelanchier lamarckii, also called juneberry, serviceberry or shadbush, is a large deciduous flowering shrub or small tree in the family Rosaceae.

Description

In spring the plant unfurls new leaves and produces star-shaped white flowers.[1] The leaves are pink when they first open, maturing to yellow-green, and turn red in autumn.[1] The plant's young berry-like pome fruits are dark red when young, but become dark purple when ripe.[2]

Taxonomy

This form is an apomictic microspecies presumed to be of hybrid origin[3] (A. laevis and either A. arborea or A. canadensis); therefore under the rules of botanical nomenclature, it would be known as Amelanchier × lamarckii. The Latin specific epithet honors the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829).[4]

The European common name snowy mespilus[2] (a name which is also attached to the related A. ovalis) reflects its close relationship with the medlar genus, Mespilus. It is also known as snowy mespil.[5]

Distribution and habitat

The plants are originally from eastern Canada and widely naturalised in Europe.[2] There has been some escape within North America of plants apparently secondarily derived from those European forms.[6]

Ecology

The fruit is eaten by birds soon after it ripens.[2]

Cultivation

The species is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[2]

Uses

Like other species of Amelanchier,[7] the fruits are edible with a sweet flavor.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Snowy mespilus". BBC Plantfinder. http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/41.shtml. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Amelanchier lamarckii". https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/26602/Amelanchier-lamarckii/Details. 
  3. Rushforth, Keith (1999). Collins Guide to the Trees of Britain and Europe. Harper Collins. pp. 503–4. 
  4. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN 978-1845337315. 
  5. "Collins English Dictionary". http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/snowy-mespil. 
  6. Campbell, Christopher S.; Burgess, Michael B.; Cushman, Kevin R.; Doucette, Eric T.; Dibble, Alison C.; Frye, Christopher T. (2015), "Amelanchier Medikus, Philos. Bot. 1: 135, 155. 1789", in Brouillet, L.; Gandhi, K.; Howard, C.L. et al., Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae, Flora of North America North of Mexico, 9, Oxford University Press, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=101333 
  7. "Amelanchier, A Very Tasty Wild Edible Fruit" (in en-US). 2013-07-13. https://eattheplanet.org/amelanchier-a-very-tasty-wild-edible-plant/. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q161702 entry