Biology:Arbutus occidentalis

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Arbutus occidentalis
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Arbutus
Species:
A. occidentalis
Binomial name
Arbutus occidentalis
McVaugh & Rosatti 1978

Arbutus occidentalis or the Mexican Madrone is a small tree species in the heath family, that is endemic to Mexico. 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.

Distribution

The plant is found in montane Mexico from Chihuahua to Oaxaca.[1][2][3] It is found in pine forests, spreading on cliff summits and steep rocky slopes.[4]

Description

Arbutus occidentalis is a low growing shrub, growing 0.25–1 metre (0.82–3.28 ft) in height.[4][1] In places it forms colonies more than 6 feet (1.8 m) ) wide.[4]

The branches are covered with thin red bark.[4] Leaves are 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) long, by 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) wide. They have teeth along the edges.[1]

The red fruits are about 0.5 inches (13 mm) across and fleshy.[4][1]

Variations

Two regional variations of Arbutus occidentalis were formerly distinguished as varieties:

  • Arbutus occidentalis var. occidentalis —almost smooth leaved, located in Central Mexico from Durango to Jalisco in the Sierra Madre Occidental.
  • Arbutus occidentalis var. villosa — leaves copiously covered beneath with wooly, villous hairs, located further south from Michoacan to Oaxaca in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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 303
  2. Sørensen, P. D. 1995. Arbutus Linnaeus. Flora Neotropica, Monograph 66: 194–221.
  3. García-Mendoza, A. J. & J. A. Meave. 2011. Diversidad Florística de Oaxaca: de Musgos a Angispermas 1–351. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Pacific Horticulture magazine: "The Madrones", Spring 1983 issue.

Wikidata ☰ Q15369340 entry