Alnus alnobetula is a common tree widespread across much of Europe, Asia, and North America.[2] Many sources refer to it as Alnus viridis, the green alder, but botanically this is considered an illegitimate name synonymous with Alnus alnobetula subsp. fruticosa.[3]
It is a large shrub or small tree 3–12 metres (10–39+1⁄2 ft) tall with smooth grey bark even in old age. The leaves are shiny green with light green undersurfaces, ovoid, 3–8 centimetres (1+1⁄4–3+1⁄4 in) long and 2–6 cm broad. The flowers are catkins, appearing late in spring after the leaves emerge (unlike other alders which flower before leafing out); the male catkins are pendulous, 4–8 cm long, the female catkins 1 cm long and 0.7 cm broad when mature in late autumn, in clusters of 3–10 on a branched stem.[4] The seeds are small, 1–2 millimetres (1⁄32–3⁄32 in) long, light brown with a narrow encircling wing.
Alnus viridis subsp. sinuata (A. sinuata, Sitka alder or slide alder) – western North America, far northeastern Siberia
Alnus viridis is classed as an environmental weed in New Zealand.[8]
Ecologyedit
Alnus viridis has a shallow root system, and is marked not only by vigorous production of stump suckers, but also by root suckers.
Alnus viridis is a light-demanding, fast-growing shrub that grows well on poorer soils. In many areas, it is a highly characteristic colonist of avalanche chutes in mountains, where potentially competing larger trees are killed by regular avalanche damage. A. viridis survives the avalanches through its ability to re-grow from the roots and broken stumps. Unlike some other alders, it does require moist soil, and is a colonist of screes and shallow stony slopes. It also commonly grows on subarctic river gravels, particularly in northern Siberia, Alaska and Canada, occupying areas similarly disrupted by ice floes during spring river ice breakup; in this habitat it commonly occurs mixed with shrubby willows.
Usesedit
It is sometimes used for afforestation on infertile soils which it enriches by means of its nitrogen-fixing nodules, while not growing large enough to compete with the intended timber crop. A. sinuata can add 20 kg of nitrogen per acre (50kg/hectare) per year to the soil.[9]Alnus viridis leaves have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine externally or internally as tea for treatment of infections and fever.[10]
^ abKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
^Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS: 1-216203. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
^Furlow, John J. (1997). "Alnus viridis". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 3. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
^Patterson, Patricia A. (1985). Field Guide to the Forest Plants of Northern Idaho(PDF). United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. p. 35.
^"Fire Effects Information System (FEIS)". USDA. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
^"Alnus viridis". Flora Europaea. Edinburgh: Royal Botanical Garden. 2008.
^Clayson, Howell (May 2008). Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. Wellington: Department of Conservation. ISBN978-0-478-14412-3.
^Ewing, Susan (1996). The Great Alaska Nature Factbook. Portland: Alaska Northwest Books.
^Vogl, S; Picker, P; Mihaly-Bison, J; Fakhrudin, N; Atanasov, A. G.; Heiss, E. H.; Wawrosch, C; Reznicek, G; Dirsch, V. M.; Saukel, J; Kopp, B (2013). "Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria's folk medicine--an unexplored lore in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 149 (3): 750–71. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2013.06.007. PMC3791396. PMID 23770053.
alnus, alnobetula, common, tree, widespread, across, much, europe, asia, north, america, many, sources, refer, alnus, viridis, green, alder, botanically, this, considered, illegitimate, name, synonymous, with, subsp, fruticosa, conservation, status, least, con. Alnus alnobetula is a common tree widespread across much of Europe Asia and North America 2 Many sources refer to it as Alnus viridis the green alder but botanically this is considered an illegitimate name synonymous with Alnus alnobetula subsp fruticosa 3 Alnus alnobetula Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Rosids Order Fagales Family Betulaceae Genus Alnus Subgenus Alnus subg Clethropsis Species A alnobetula Binomial name Alnus alnobetula Ehrh K Koch Natural distribution of Alnus viridis complex Synonyms 2 List Alnus viridis A Gray 1848 illegitimate homonym not Chaix DC 1805Alnus fruticosa Rupr Alnaster fruticosus Rupr Ledeb Duschekia fruticosa Rupr PouzarAlnus pumila Nois ex CorrieAlnus orbiculata Lopylaie ex SpachAlnus tristis Wormsk ex RegelAlnus alpina Vill Betula viridis Chaix in D VillarsBetula ovata SchrankBetula alpina Borkh ex TheorinAlnus viridis Chaix DC Alnus ovata Schrank G Lodd Alnaster viridis Chaix SpachSemidopsis viridis Chaix Zumagl Duschekia ovata Schrank OpizDuschekia viridis Chaix OpizAlnus brembana RotaAlnus corylifolia A Kern ex Dalla TorreBetula crispa AitonAlnus crispa Aiton PurshAlnaster crispus Aiton Czerep Duschekia crispa Aiton PouzarAlnus undulata Willd Betula alnus crispa Steud Alnus mitchelliana M A Curtis ex A GrayAlnus repens Wormsk ex Hornem Alnus mollis FernaldAlnus viridis var sinuata RegelAlnus sinuata Regel Rydb Duschekia sinuata Regel PouzarAlnaster sinuatus Regel Czerep Betula tristis Wormsk ex LinkAlnus sitchensis Regel SargAlnus kamschatica Regel Kudo ex MasamDuschekia kamtschatica Callier PouzarAlnaster kamtschaticus Callier Czerep Alnus suaveolens Req Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution 3 Ecology 4 Uses 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Foliage and inflorescence subsp crispa It is a large shrub or small tree 3 12 metres 10 39 1 2 ft tall with smooth grey bark even in old age The leaves are shiny green with light green undersurfaces ovoid 3 8 centimetres 1 1 4 3 1 4 in long and 2 6 cm broad The flowers are catkins appearing late in spring after the leaves emerge unlike other alders which flower before leafing out the male catkins are pendulous 4 8 cm long the female catkins 1 cm long and 0 7 cm broad when mature in late autumn in clusters of 3 10 on a branched stem 4 The seeds are small 1 2 millimetres 1 32 3 32 in long light brown with a narrow encircling wing The roots of Alnus viridis subsp sinuata have nitrogen fixing nodules 5 A study in Alaska showed that Sitka alder seedlings were able to invade coal mine spoils and can be used for revegetation and stripmine reclamation 6 Distribution editThere are four to six subspecies some treated as separate species by some authors 7 Alnus viridis subsp viridis Central Europe Alnus viridis subsp suaveolens Corsica endemic Alnus viridis subsp fruticosa Northeast Europe northern Asia northwestern North America Alnus viridis subsp maximowiczii A maximowiczii Japan Alnus viridis subsp crispa A crispa mountain alder northeastern North America Greenland Alnus viridis subsp sinuata A sinuata Sitka alder or slide alder western North America far northeastern Siberia Alnus viridis is classed as an environmental weed in New Zealand 8 Ecology editAlnus viridis has a shallow root system and is marked not only by vigorous production of stump suckers but also by root suckers Alnus viridis is a light demanding fast growing shrub that grows well on poorer soils In many areas it is a highly characteristic colonist of avalanche chutes in mountains where potentially competing larger trees are killed by regular avalanche damage A viridis survives the avalanches through its ability to re grow from the roots and broken stumps Unlike some other alders it does require moist soil and is a colonist of screes and shallow stony slopes It also commonly grows on subarctic river gravels particularly in northern Siberia Alaska and Canada occupying areas similarly disrupted by ice floes during spring river ice breakup in this habitat it commonly occurs mixed with shrubby willows Uses editIt is sometimes used for afforestation on infertile soils which it enriches by means of its nitrogen fixing nodules while not growing large enough to compete with the intended timber crop A sinuata can add 20 kg of nitrogen per acre 50kg hectare per year to the soil 9 Alnus viridis leaves have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine externally or internally as tea for treatment of infections and fever 10 References edit Rivers M C amp Stritch L 2016 Alnus alnobetula The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 208 IUCN e T51203944A2347475 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 1 RLTS T51203944A2347475 en a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Govaerts R 2003 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS 1 216203 The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Furlow John J 1997 Alnus viridis In Flora of North America Editorial Committee ed Flora of North America North of Mexico FNA Vol 3 New York and Oxford Oxford University Press via eFloras org Missouri Botanical Garden St Louis MO amp Harvard University Herbaria Cambridge MA Patterson Patricia A 1985 Field Guide to the Forest Plants of Northern Idaho PDF United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service p 35 Fire Effects Information System FEIS USDA Retrieved 3 February 2020 Alnus viridis Flora Europaea Edinburgh Royal Botanical Garden 2008 Clayson Howell May 2008 Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand Wellington Department of Conservation ISBN 978 0 478 14412 3 Ewing Susan 1996 The Great Alaska Nature Factbook Portland Alaska Northwest Books Vogl S Picker P Mihaly Bison J Fakhrudin N Atanasov A G Heiss E H Wawrosch C Reznicek G Dirsch V M Saukel J Kopp B 2013 Ethnopharmacological in vitro studies on Austria s folk medicine an unexplored lore in vitro anti inflammatory activities of 71 Austrian traditional herbal drugs Journal of Ethnopharmacology 149 3 750 71 doi 10 1016 j jep 2013 06 007 PMC 3791396 PMID 23770053 External links editAlnus viridis information genetic conservation units and related resources European Forest Genetic Resources Programme EUFORGEN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alnus alnobetula amp oldid 1191422430, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
