Prunus alleghaniensis
| Prunus alleghaniensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1913 illustration[1] | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Prunus |
| Subgenus: | Prunus subg. Prunus |
| Section: | Prunus sect. Prunocerasus |
| Species: | P. alleghaniensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Prunus alleghaniensis | |
Prunus alleghaniensis, the Allegheny plum,[2] is a species of plum native to eastern North America.
Description
Prunus alleghaniensis is a shrub or small tree reaching heights of 0.9–3.6 meters (3–12 feet) or more. The twigs sometimes have thorns and the bark is fissured in older specimens.[3] The leaves are 5 to 9 centimeters (2 to 3+1⁄2 inches) long, with finely toothed margins and often a long and pointed tip.[4][3]
The flowers are plentiful and white, eventually turning pink. The dark purple fruit is up to about 13 millimeters (1⁄2 in) wide, covered by a whitish bloom.[4][3]
Similar species
Prunus maritima on the east coast is similar but lacks pointed leaves and has larger fruit.[4]
Taxonomy
Thomas Conrad Porter described the species in 1877. The specific epithet refers to the Allegheny Mountains, a subrange of the Appalacians where it was found.[4][5]
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the Appalachian Mountains from New York to Kentucky and North Carolina, plus the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. There are old reports of it growing also in New Jersey and Connecticut, but it now appears to have been extirpated in those two states.[6][5][7][3] It is typically found in elevations between 370 and 610 m (1,200 and 2,000 ft) and is uncommon in moist woodland.[3]
Uses
References
- ↑ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 324.
- ↑ NRCS. "Prunus alleghaniensis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Kershner, Bruce; Mathews, Daniel; Nelson, Gil; Spellenberg, Richard (2008). National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America. et al. New York: Sterling. p. 344. ISBN 978-1-4027-3875-3.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Porter, Thomas C. (March 1877). "Prunus alleghaniensis". Botanical Gazette. 2 (5): 85. ISSN 1529-4560. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20.
- 1 2 "Prunus alleghaniensis". National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ↑ "ITIS Standard Report Page: Prunus alleghaniensis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ↑ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
- ↑ Little, Elbert L. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. New York: Knopf. p. 493. ISBN 0-394-50760-6.
External links
