Kingdom Plantae Subfamily Amygdaloideae Subtribe Malinae Scientific name Peraphyllum ramosissimum Rank Species | Family Rosaceae Tribe Maleae Genus Peraphyllum
Nutt. Higher classification Peraphyllum Order Rosales | |
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Similar Malacomeles, Lindleya, Docynia, Hesperomeles, Osteomeles | ||
Peraphyllum is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the rose family, containing the single species Peraphyllum ramosissimum, commonly known as the squaw apple or wild crab apple.
Contents
Translated from the Greek, the genus Peraphyllum means "very leafy" and the species name ramosissimum means "many branches". Peraphyllum is most closely related to Amelanchier, Malacomeles, Crataegus, and Mespilus.
Distribution
Peraphyllum ramosissimum grows in California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico usually in pine and juniper woodlands. In California it can be found in the High Cascades, High Sierra Nevada, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert sky islands.
Description
Peraphyllum ramosissimum is a shrub which may reach 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height and bears small pomes about 1 centimetre (0.39 in) wide. The leaves are simple; they can grow very close together on short shoots but are well separated on longer shoots.
Like most other flowering plants of the Rosaceae, Peraphyllum ramosissimum has 5 petals and 5 sepals with radial symmetry. The flowers have about 15-20 free stamens, the petals are white to rose in color.