bio.wikisort.org - Plant

Prunus ilicifolia (Common names: hollyleaf cherry,[4] evergreen cherry;[5] islay - Salinan Native American[6]) is native to the chaparral areas of coastal California (from Mendocino County to San Diego County), Baja California, and Baja California Sur.[5][7] as well as the desert chaparral areas of the Mojave desert.[8][9]

Hollyleaf cherry
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Prunus
Species:	P. ilicifolia
Binomial name
Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) Walp.
Natural range of Prunus ilicifolia (var. ilicifolia green; var. occidentalis blue)
Synonyms[2][3]
Cerasus ilicifolia Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn. Laurocerasus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) M.Roem. Lauro-cerasus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) M.Roem. Prunus lyonii (Eastw.) Sarg.

Prunus ilicifolia is an evergreen shrub[4] to tree, producing edible cherries, with shiny and spiny toothed leaves[4] similar in appearance to those of holly. This resemblance is the source of both the common name "holly-leaved cherry" and the scientific epithet "ilicifolia" (Ilex-leaved). It grows 2.4 to 9.1 metres (8 to 30 feet) tall, with thick, alternate leaves 2.5 to 5.1 centimetres (1 to 2 inches) in length.[4] It has small white flowers growing in clusters, similar in appearance to most members of the rose family, Rosaceae, flowering from March to May.[4] The flowers are terminal on small stalks, with the youngest at the cluster center. The purple to black fruit is sweet, with a very thin pulp around a large single stone (drupe).[4][10]

The plant is prized for cultivation, showy and easily grown from seed, and has been cultivated for centuries as a food source, and tolerates twice yearly pruning when often used as a hedge.[4] The plant likes full sun, loose open soil (porous), and tolerates drought conditions well, but needs regular watering when young.[4]

Despite its name, it is not a true cherry (P. subg. Cerasus) species. It is traditionally included in P. subg. Laurocerasus, but molecular research indicates it is nested with species of P. subg. Padus.[11] Ilicifolia or “ilex foliage,” means “holly-like leaves” in Latin[4]

Description

It is an evergreen shrub[4] or small tree approaching 15 metres (49 feet) in height,[12] with dense, hard leaves[4] (sclerophyllous foliage). The leaves are 1.6–12 centimetres (3⁄4–4+3⁄4 inches) long with a 4–25 millimetres (1⁄8–1 in) petiole[12] and spiny margins, somewhat resembling those of the holly. The leaves are dark green when mature and generally shiny on top, and have a smell resembling almonds when crushed; these are poisonous to eat, but not to handle.[13] The flowers are small (1–5 mm), white, produced on racemes in the spring. The fruit is a cherry 12–25 mm in diameter, sweet in taste, with little flesh surrounding the smooth seed.[12][14][15]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:[16][17][18]

• P. ilcifolia subsp. ilicifolia - mainland California and Baja California, red fruit 12–18 mm diameter
• P. ilicifolia subsp. lyonii (Eastw.) Raven - Catalina cherry, Channel Islands of California (San Clemente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Island islands), blue-black fruit 15–25 mm diameter

Distribution and habitat

Prunus ilicifolia is native to California chaparral and foothill woodlands along the Coast Ranges below 1,600 m (5,200 ft).[12] Its distribution extends from northern Baja California along the California coast to the northernmost extent of the Coast Ranges,[12] as well as into the desert chaparral areas of the Mojave desert. In chaparral communities, it tends to inhabit north-facing slopes, erosion channels, or other moist, cool sites.[5] This is the only species of the genus Prunus native to California's Santa Monica Mountains, which divide the Los Angeles Basin from the San Fernando Valley.[4]

It is a persistent member of chaparral communities, being slow-growing but long-lived; common chaparral flora associates are toyon, western poison-oak and coffeeberry.[19] In the absence of fire, P. ilicifolia will outlive or outshade surrounding vegetation, making room for seedlings. Eventually, it will form extensive stands codominated by scrub oak.[5]

Ecology

Although it will resprout from the stump after fires, the seeds are not fire-adapted like those of many other chaparral plants.[20] Instead, it relies on the natural death of surrounding vegetation during long periods of fire-free conditions to make room for its seedlings.[5]

Though the seeds are often reported to require sunlight to germinate,[20] germination rates of nearly 100% have been achieved with wild-collected seed buried completely in pots with a peatlite mix.[21]

The caterpillars of the pale swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) feed on this and other members of the riparian woodland plant community.[18] It is also a larval host to the California hairstreak, Lorquin's admiral, Nevada buckmoth, and tiger swallowtail.[22] Bees are attracted to it.[4]

Cultivation

Prunus ilicifolia is used in California native plants and wildlife gardens, and drought-tolerant sustainable landscaping.[23]

Uses

The pulp of the cherry is edible.[4] Native Americans fermented the fruit into an intoxicating drink.[4] Some also cracked the dried cherries and made meal from the seeds after grinding and leaching them.[24] It has also been made into jam.[25]

References

External links

• "Prunus lyonii". Plants for a Future.
• "Prunus ilicifolia". Plants for a Future.
• Fourdir.com: High Desert Trees^[Usurped!]
• Desert-Tropicals: Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) access date March 26, 2010

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