Rhamnus alnifolia (Alder-Leaved Buckthorn) - photos and description
Male flower in above photo
Male flowers in above photo.
Female flower in above photo.
Very small glands at base of teeth.
General: Shrub with a spreading growth habit, stems decumbent to erect. Lower stems greyish in colour, uppermost stems reddish-brown. Very short hairs on woody stems.
Flowers: Flowers in clusters of 2 or 3 in leaf axils, greenish in colour, unisexual with flowers of separate sexes on separate plants. We measured flowers to 5 mm diameter. Male flowers with 5 stamens.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, crowded towards stem tips, elliptic to ovate, serrate, leaf highlighted in photo above was 5.5 cm long by 3.5 cm wide. Leaves with very short hairs on top and short hairs on veins on leaf bottom. Leaves with very small glands at base of teeth.
Height: Height listed in Budd's Flora from 1 to 2 m, we measured plants to 89 cm tall.
Habitat: Moist woodlands and swamps.
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Native.
When and where photographed: The above photos were taken June 10th, moist woods, Pasquia Provincial Forest, about 425 km north east of our home in Regina, SK.