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Alnus viridis - (image 1 of 4)

Taxonomy

Family: Betulaceae

Habitat

Bogs, shores, cold woods, in alpine and subalpine zones in the southern part of its range.

Associates

Distribution

Nearly circumboreal, south in North America to MA, NY, WI, MN, ID, and CA, and disjunct in PA and on Roan Mountain (NC-TN).

Morphology

Deciduous, colonial shrub; younger parts more or less glutinous; winter buds sessile, acuminate, with about 5 imbricate scales; leaves glutinous beneath when young, broadly elliptic to ovate, broadly obtuse to rounded or subcordate at the base, with mostly 6-9 main veins on each side, green and shiny (not glaucous) beneath, finely and sharply toothed, or almost laciniate; catkins appearing with the leaves, the pistillate catkins with 2-3 leaves at the base, at maturity 1-1.5 cm and evidently slender-pedunculate; filaments 0.5-1 mm; fruit 2-3 mm, the body only 1-2 mm wide and surround by a broad, pale, membranous wing.

Notes

Flowers March to April

Wetland Indicator: FAC

This North American subspecies is unique in that it produces long shoots in addition to short shoots that bear the leaves. It differs from other alders in having broadly winged fruits and sessile winter buds.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

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