Prunus ilicifolia
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| Prunus ilicifolia Nutt. |
Prunus ilicifolia (also known by the common names of hollyleaf cherry, islay and evergreen cherry)[1] is a species in the genus Prunus, native to coastal California. It often groes as a shrub but can form a tree up to 26 ft. tall.[2] The fruit is edible but contains little flesh.
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[edit] Description
P. ilicifolia is a shrub or tree bearing sclerophyllous leaves somewhat resembling those of the holly, hence its common name. The dense foliage is composed of 2-5 cm. leaves with spiny edges, arranged alternately on the stem.[2][3] The leaves are dark green when mature and generally shiny on top, and have a smell resemblings almonds when crushed.
Many small (1-5 mm.) white flowers are born on a raceme in the spring.[4] These develop into deep red cherries. The fruit is edible and have sweet flesh, though little of it surrounds the smooth pit.
[edit] Distribution and Habitat
P. ilicifolia is native to California chaparral and foothill woodlands along the Coast Ranges below 5000 ft.[1] It's distribution extends from northern Baja California along the California coast to the northernmost extent of the Coast Ranges.[4] In chaparral communities, it tends to inhabit north-facing slopes, erosion channels, or other moist, cool, sites.[1]
The Catalina Cherry (P. ilicifolia ssp. lyonii), a subspecies which can attain 15 m. in height and has blue-black berries,[4] is native to San Clemente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Island islands.[5]
[edit] Ecology
P. ilicifolia is a persistent member of chaparral communities, being slow-growing but long-lived. 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.[1] Although it will stump-sprout after fires, the seeds of P. ilicifolia are not fire-adapted like those of many other chaparral plants are.[6] Instead, it relies on the natural death of surrounding vegetation during long periods of fire-free conditions to make room for its seedlings.[1]
Apparently, the seeds of P. ilicifolia will only germinate after an acid treatment, such as the one performed when they are passed through the digestive tract of the coyote, which feeds on the fruits. The coyotes are discouraged from eating the seeds themselves by cyanide, which is released from the seeds if they are cracked.[5] Others report that germination levels are high with only suitable moisture and temperature levels.[7] Sufficient light levels are also reported to be necessary for germination.[6]
The caterpillars of the pale swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) feed on this and other members of the riparian woodland plant community.[5]
[edit] Subspecies
P. ilicifolia contains two subspecies, as follows:[4]
- P. ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia
- P. ilicifolia ssp. lyonii (Eastw.) Raven Catalina cherry
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e Fire Effects Information Service, USDA Forest Service: Prunus ilicifolia. [1]
- ^ a b Munz, Philip A. 1973. A California flora and supplement. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
- ^ Conrad, C. Eugene. 1987. Common shrubs of chaparral and associated ecosystems of southern California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-99. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.
- ^ a b c d Hickman, James C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
- ^ a b c Schoenherr, Allan A.; A Natural History of California. University of California Press, Berkley, 1993
- ^ a b Keeley, Jon E. 1987. Role of fire in seed germination of woody taxa in California chaparral. Ecology. 68(2): 434-443.; material found here
- ^ Mirov, N. T.; Kraebel, C. J. 1937. Collecting and propagating the seeds of California wild plants. Res. Note No. 18. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, California Forest and Range Experiment Station. 27 p.
