Arbutus occidentalis
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
- McVaugh, Rogers & Rosatti, Thomas James. 1978. A new species of Arbutus (Ericaceae) from western Mexico. Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 11(5): 301–304 includes line drawings of Arbutus occidentalis and Arbutus xalapensis on page 303
- Sørensen, P. D. 1995. Arbutus Linnaeus. Flora Neotropica, Monograph 66: 194–221.
- García-Mendoza, A. J. & J. A. Meave. 2011. Diversidad Florística de Oaxaca: de Musgos a Angispermas 1–351. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria
- Pacific Horticulture magazine: "The Madrones", Spring 1983 issue.