- Mountain-mahogany
Taxobox
name = Mountain-mahogany
image_width = 290px
image_caption = Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Rosales
familia =Rosaceae
genus = "Cercocarpus"
genus_authority = H.B. & K.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "C. betuloides" - Birchleaf Mountain-mahogany
"C. breviflorus" - Hairy Mountain-mahogany
"C. intricatus" - Littleleaf Mountain-mahogany
"C. ledifolius" - Curlleaf Mountain-mahogany
"C. montanus" - Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany
"C. traskiae" - Catalina Island Mountain-mahoganyMountain-mahogany ("Cercocarpus") is a small genus of five or six species of
deciduous shrub s or smalltree s in the rose family (Rosaceae ), native to the westernUnited States and northernMexico , where they grow in semi-desert climates, often at high altitudes. They typically reach 3–6 m tall, but exceptionally up to 13 m tall.The classification of "Cercocarpus" within the Rosaceae is presently unclear. The genus was originally placed in the subfamily
Rosoideae , and later in subfamilyDryadeae along with the genera "Chamaebatia ", "Purshia " and ""Dryas"", all four genera sharingroot nodule s that host the nitrogen-fixingbacterium "Frankia ". However, recent genetic research indicates that Dryadeae may be polyphyletic, with "Dryas" not closely related to the other three genera.The Alderleaf variety is prominent in the foothills of
Colorado but usually remains under 1 meter in height because of incessant browsing byelk anddeer . This variety of mountain-mahogany is generally located on the south or west facing slopes because it cannot thrive in the shade on the north facing slopes.External links
* [http://research.yale.edu/yoderlab/pdfs/2003,%20Eriksson%20et%20al,%20IJPS.pdf Phylogeny of Rosoideae (pdf file)]
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