Cercocarpus montanus

Common Name: Alderleaf Mountain Mahogany
Oˊodham Name: [unknown]
Group: Trees － Chaparral (upper), Madrean Woodland

Description

Cercocarpus montanus is a small, compact tree commonly found in Madrean Woodland. Its range also extends into the upper Chaparral. It can be abundant on gravelly or rocky slopes and may reach 15 feet wide and tall. Leaves arise from the axis or from small spur branchlets. They are medium green, ovoid, about 1 inch long, and sparsely covered with fine white hairs. The upper leaf surface is lightly glabrous and has deeply depressed veins. The fruit are brownish, elongated achenes up to 20 mm long and have a long, twisted style that has long perpendicular silver hairs which aid in wind dispersal.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae － Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta － Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta － Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta － Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida － Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae － Rose family

Genus Cercocarpus Kunth － mountain mahogany

Species Cercocarpus montanus Raf. － alderleaf mountain mahogany

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