Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata

(Regel) Raus

Willdenowia 41: 129. 2011.

Common names: Sitka alder mountain alder
Endemic
Basionym: Alnus viridis var. sinuata Regel Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 38(3): 422. 1865
Synonyms: Alnus crispa subsp. sinuata (Regel) Hultén Alnus sinuata (Regel) Rydberg Alnus sitchensis (Regel) Sargent Alnus viridis subsp. sinuata (Regel) A. Löve & D. Löve
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Shrubs, spreading, to 5(–10) m. Bark light gray to reddish brown; lenticels inconspicuous. Leaf blade light or yellowish green, narrowly to broadly ovate, 4–10 × 3–8 cm, thin, papery, base rounded to cordate, margins flat, sharply and coarsely doubly serrate, apex acuminate; surfaces abaxially glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lightly to moderately resin-coated. Inflorescences: staminate catkins 2.5–13 cm. Infructescences 1.5–2.5 × 0.8–1.3 cm; peduncles 1–3 cm. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Along gravelly or rocky stream banks, lakeshores, and coasts, on moist rocky slopes, outcrops, in open coniferous woodlands
Elevation: 0–2500 m

Distribution

V3 671-distribution-map.gif

Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Yukon, Alaska, Calif., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata is one of the first successional taxa to appear in the northwestern mountains following disruption of the mature vegetation. It often forms dense thickets on avalanche and talus slopes. Sitka alder differs from the two previous subspecies in its paper-thin, light or yellowish green, doubly serrate leaves.

The Bella Coola used Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata medicinally although D. E. Moerman (1986) did not specify the nature of the remedies.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
John J. Furlow +
(Regel) Raus +
Alnus viridis var. sinuata +
Sitka alder +  and mountain alder +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Calif. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Oreg. +, Wash. +  and Wyo. +
0–2500 m +
Along gravelly or rocky stream banks, lakeshores, and coasts, on moist rocky slopes, outcrops, in open coniferous woodlands +
Flowering spring. +
Willdenowia +
Alnus crispa subsp. sinuata +, Alnus sinuata +, Alnus sitchensis +  and Alnus viridis subsp. sinuata +
Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata +
Alnus alnobetula +
subspecies +