Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Arbutus occidentalis

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Kingdom
  
Plantae

Family
  
Ericaceae

Rank
  
Species

Order
  
Ericales

Genus
  
Arbutus

Similar
  
Arctostaphylos ohloneana, Arctostaphylos mendocinoensis, Arctostaphylos gabilanensis, Arctostaphylos nissenana, Arctostaphylos hispidula

Arbutus occidentalis is a shrub species in the heath family, that is endemic to Mexico.

Contents

Distribution

The plant is found in montane Mexico from Chihuahua to Oaxaca. It is found in pine forests, spreading on cliff summits and steep rocky slopes.

Description

Arbutus occidentalis is a low growing shrub, growing 0.25–1 metre (0.82–3.28 ft) in height. In places it forms colonies more than 6 feet (1.8 m) ) wide.

The branches are covered with thin red bark. Leaves are 3–6 centimetres (1.2–2.4 in) long, by 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) wide. They have teeth along the edges.

The red fruits are about 0.5 inches (13 mm) across and fleshy.

Variations

Two regional variations of Arbutus occidentalis were formerly distinguished as varieties

  • Arbutus occidentalis var. occidentalis —almost smooth leaved, in Central Mexico from Durango to Jalisco in the Sierra Madre Occidental.
  • Arbutus occidentalis var. villosa — leaves copiously covered beneath with wooly, villous hairs, further south from Michoacan to Oaxaca in the Sierra Madre del Sur.

    • References

    Arbutus occidentalis Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA