Cercocarpus betuloides
Encyclopedia
Cercocarpus betuloides, California Mountain Mahogany, is a species in the family Rosaceae
. It typically grows in dry areas in the foothills and mountains of California
, often in chaparral
communities, and in other parts of the Southwestern United States
and Baja California
.
The Cercocarpus betuloides leaves are distinctive in that they have smooth edges from the base to about half way up, then are wavy or toothed to the rounded tip. The shrub's white flowers are small, clustered, and mildly scented. The fruit is a tubular achene
, with a distinctive curly light thin feather-like extension going out 2 to 3 inches. The wood of the shrub extremely hard and reddish, from which the incorrect common name comes. Native American Californians used the hard wood for arrows, digging, spearing fish, and digging.
In California there are three varieties: C. betuloides var. betuloides, C. betuloides var. blancheae, and C. betuloides var. macrourus.
.
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...
. It typically grows in dry areas in the foothills and mountains of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, often in chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
communities, and in other parts of the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
Description
This shrub has a typical size of three to five meters - 9-15 feet in height. The etymology of the species name derives from the Greek “kerkos”, from which the genus name root cerco derives, meaning "tail", referring to the tail-like appearance of the fruit; and carpus meaning "fruit": thus “fruit with tail”. Betula is the genus for birch, and the species name refers to the birch-like leaves.The Cercocarpus betuloides leaves are distinctive in that they have smooth edges from the base to about half way up, then are wavy or toothed to the rounded tip. The shrub's white flowers are small, clustered, and mildly scented. The fruit is a tubular achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
, with a distinctive curly light thin feather-like extension going out 2 to 3 inches. The wood of the shrub extremely hard and reddish, from which the incorrect common name comes. Native American Californians used the hard wood for arrows, digging, spearing fish, and digging.
In California there are three varieties: C. betuloides var. betuloides, C. betuloides var. blancheae, and C. betuloides var. macrourus.
Habitat
There are a number of common shrub associates within the chaparral community, including ToyonToyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia , and commonly known as Toyon, is a common perennial shrub native to California down to Baja California....
.