Blue elder

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Blue elder
Blue elder

Blue elder

Systematics
Asterids
Euasterids II
Order : Cardigans (Dipsacales)
Family : Musk herb family (Adoxaceae)
Genre : Elderberry ( sambucus )
Type : Blue elder
Scientific name
Sambucus cerulea
Raf.
Sambucus cerulea

Blue elder ( Sambucus cerulea ) is a shrub or small tree in the genus of elder from the musk herb family (Adoxaceae).

description

Appearance and leaf

The blue elder is a multi-stemmed, 2 to 6 meter high and woody shrub that sometimes attains the appearance and size of a small tree . The opposite leaves are stalked and smooth or almost smooth. They are pinnate unpaired and usually consist of seven to nine egg-shaped to narrow, elongated-round and serrated leaflets . The missing or usually soon falling stipules are small and linear in shape.

Inflorescence and flower

The flowering period extends from May to July. The approximately 4 to 15 centimeters wide inflorescence is a flat panicle with four to five rays, which in turn end in umbrella-like partial fruit stands. The hermaphroditic, radial symmetry flowers are five-fold with a double flower envelope and 4 to 6 (rarely up to 7) millimeters in diameter. They have a strong, unpleasant odor. The five white or cream-colored petals are briefly fused.

Fruit and seeds

The round, berry-like and juicy stone fruits are 4 to 6 millimeters in size and bluish black when ripe. A waxy coating makes them appear pale and floured blue. They contain three to five small, seed-like kernels, each containing one seed .

distribution

The blue elder is native to western North America. In Canada it is found from Alberta to British Columbia , in the USA southwards across all western states to California , Arizona , New Mexico and Texas . The southernmost stocks are found in northern Mexico .

It thrives on damp slopes and in ravines with yellow pine and American quivering poplar .

Systematics

Sambucus cerulea was first described in 1838 by Constantine S. Rafinesque-Schmaltz in Alsographia Americana , page 48 . An orthographic variant is Sambucus caerulea Raf. The species belongs to the Sambucus nigra complex, as such it is sometimes referred to as the subspecies Sambucus nigra L. subsp. cerulea ( Raf. ) Bolli . Other synonyms for Sambucus cerulea are Sambucus glauca Nutt. , Sambucus mexicana auct. non C. Presl ex DC. and Sambucus neomexicana Wooton .

Depending on the author, there are two varieties:

swell

literature

  • Ivar Tidestrom: Flora of Utah and Nevada , In: Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, Vol. 25, p. 514

Individual evidence

  1. ^ GRIN Taxonomy for Plants. Taxon: Sambucus cerulea Raf. In: Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area, accessed December 28, 2011 .
  2. ↑ Online entry as Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea at ITIS

Web links

Commons : Blue Elderberry ( Sambucus cerulea )  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files