Shrubs or trees, 1–12 m. Stems red to brown, gray, or green, glabrous or densely hairy. Leaves deciduous or semideciduous, alternate; petiole 6–23 mm; blade usually pale green abaxially, green to bluish or greenish gray adaxially, not glaucous or glaucous when fresh, elliptic to oblong or oblong-obovate, (3.5–)5–15 cm, herbaceous or distinctly coriaceous, base rounded to subcordate, obtuse, or cuneate, margins entire, irregularly toothed, or serrulate, apex obtuse or truncate, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy, or adaxial velvety; secondary veins 9–11 pairs. Inflorescences umbels, pedunculate, 10–25-flowered. Pedicels 5–15 mm. Stigmas 2–3-lobed. Drupes black, globose to depressed-globose, 5–10 mm; stones 3.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

w North America.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Frangula purshiana subsp. anonifolia, Frangula purshiana subsp. purshiana, Frangula purshiana subsp. ultramafica

Key

1	Leaf blades distinctly coriaceous, glaucous adaxially when fresh, surfaces papillate.	Frangula purshiana subsp. ultramafica
1	Leaf blades herbaceous, not glaucous adaxially when fresh, surfaces not papillate.	> 2
2	Leaf blade bases usually rounded to subcordate.	Frangula purshiana subsp. purshiana
2	Leaf blade bases usually cuneate.	Frangula purshiana subsp. anonifolia