bio.wikisort.org - Plant

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.

Arbutus occidentalis
Scientific classification
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

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

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