Prunus ilicifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Prunoideae Genus: Prunus Species: P. ilicifolia
Binomial name
Prunus ilicifolia Nutt.

Prunus ilicifolia (also known by the common names of hollyleaf cherry, islay and evergreen cherry)^[1] is a species in the genus Prunus, native to coastal California. It often groes as a shrub but can form a tree up to 26 ft. tall.^[2] The fruit is edible but contains little flesh. For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Divisions Green algae land plants (embryophytes) non-vascular embryophytes Hepatophyta - liverworts Anthocerophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses vascular plants (tracheophytes) seedless vascular plants Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongue ferns seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class: this name is formed by replacing the termination -aceae in the name Magnoliaceae by the termination -opsida (Art 16 of the ICBN). ... Families Barbeyaceae Cannabaceae (hemp family) Dirachmaceae Elaeagnaceae Moraceae (mulberry family) Rosaceae (rose family) Rhamnaceae (buckthorn family) Ulmaceae (elm family) Urticaceae (nettle family) For the Philippine municipality, see Rosales, Pangasinan. ... Subfamilies Rosoideae Spiraeoideae Maloideae Amygdaloideae or Prunoideae The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-120 genera. ... Genera Prunus Prinsepia Prunoideae, also called Amygdaloideae, is the subfamily containing the genera Prunus and Prinsepia. ... Species Prunus alabamensis Prunus alleghaniensis Prunus americana Prunus andersonii Prunus angustifolia Prunus armeniaca Prunus avium Prunus caroliniana Prunus cerasifera Prunus cerasus Prunus domestica Prunus dulcis Prunus emarginata Prunus fasciculata Prunus fremontii Prunus fruticosa Prunus geniculata Prunus glandulosa Prunus gracilis Prunus grayana Prunus havardii Prunus hortulana Prunus ilicifolia Prunus japonica Prunus... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Thomas Nuttall (January 5, 1786 - September 10, 1859) was an English botanist and zoologist, who lived and worked in America from 1808 until 1842. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ... Species Prunus alabamensis Prunus alleghaniensis Prunus americana Prunus andersonii Prunus angustifolia Prunus armeniaca Prunus avium Prunus caroliniana Prunus cerasifera Prunus cerasus Prunus domestica Prunus dulcis Prunus emarginata Prunus fasciculata Prunus fremontii Prunus fruticosa Prunus geniculata Prunus glandulosa Prunus gracilis Prunus grayana Prunus havardii Prunus hortulana Prunus ilicifolia Prunus japonica Prunus... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Description

Prunus ilicifolia flowers

P. ilicifolia is a shrub or tree bearing sclerophyllous leaves somewhat resembling those of the holly, hence its common name. The dense foliage is composed of 2-5 cm. leaves with spiny edges, arranged alternately on the stem.^[2][3] The leaves are dark green when mature and generally shiny on top, and have a smell resemblings almonds when crushed. Arid, largely treeless areas aside, most Australian bushland is sclerophyll forest. ... Species Ilex ambigua - Sand Holly Ilex amelanchier - Swamp Holly Ilex aquifolium - European Holly Ilex bioritsensis Ilex buergeri Ilex canariensis - Small-leaved Holly Ilex cassine - Dahoon Holly Ilex centrochinensis Ilex ciliospinosa Ilex colchica Ilex collina Ilex corallina Ilex coriacea Ilex cornuta - Chinese Holly Ilex crenata - Japanese Holly Ilex cyrtura Ilex decidua... This article refers to the plant. ...

Many small (1-5 mm.) white flowers are born on a raceme in the spring.^[4] These develop into deep red cherries. The fruit is edible and have sweet flesh, though little of it surrounds the smooth pit. This inflorescence of the terrestrial orchid Spathoglottis plicata is a typical raceme. ...

Distribution and Habitat

P. ilicifolia is native to California chaparral and foothill woodlands along the Coast Ranges below 5000 ft.^[1] It's distribution extends from northern Baja California along the California coast to the northernmost extent of the Coast Ranges.^[4] In chaparral communities, it tends to inhabit north-facing slopes, erosion channels, or other moist, cool, sites.^[1] Chaparral is a shrubland plant community found primarily in California, USA, that is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and hot dry summers) and wildfire. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... Baja California (literally lower California in Spanish) is the northernmost state of Mexico. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ...

The Catalina Cherry (P. ilicifolia ssp. lyonii), a subspecies which can attain 15 m. in height and has blue-black berries,^[4] is native to San Clemente, Santa Catalina, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Island islands.^[5] View from space of Southern California coast, showing Santa Catalina Island (closer to mainland) and San Clemente Island (further from mainland). ... Avalon Bay is a beautiful bay on Catalina Island. ... NASA satellite image of Santa Cruz Island. ... There are at least two Santa Rosa Islands: Santa Rosa Island, California is one of the Channel Islands of California. ...

Ecology

P. ilicifolia is a persistent member of chaparral communities, being slow-growing but long-lived. In the absence of fire, P. ilicifolia will outlive or outshade surrounding vegetation, making room for seedlings. Eventually, it will form extensive stands codominated by scrub oak.^[1] Although it will stump-sprout after fires, P. ilicifolia the seeds of P. ilicifolia are not fire-adapted like those of many other chaparral plants are.^[6] Instead, it relies on the natural death of surrounding vegetation during long periods of fire-free conditions to make room for its seedlings.^[1]

Apparently, the seeds of P. ilicifolia will only germinate after an acid treatment, such as the one performed when they are passed through the digestive tract of the coyote, which feeds on the fruits. The coyotes are discouraged from eating the seeds themselves by cyanide, which is released from the seeds if they are cracked.^[5] Others report that germination levels are high with only suitable moisture and temperature levels.^[7] Sufficient light levels are also reported to be necessary for germination.^[6] Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a relative of the domestic dog. ...

The caterpillars of the pale swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) feed on this and other members of the riparion woodland plant community.^[5] Papilio Species see text Papilio is a genus in the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae. ...

Subspecies

P. ilicifolia contains two subspecies, as follows:^[4]

P. ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia

P. ilicifolia ssp. lyonii (Eastw.) Raven Catalina cherry

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Fire Effects Information Service, USDA Forest Service: Prunus ilicifolia. [1]
2. ^ ^{a b} Munz, Philip A. 1973. A California flora and supplement. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
3. ^ Conrad, C. Eugene. 1987. Common shrubs of chaparral and associated ecosystems of southern California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-99. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Hickman, James C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
5. ^ ^{a b c} Schoenherr, Allan A.; A Natural History of California. University of California Press, Berkley, 1993
6. ^ ^{a b} Keeley, Jon E. 1987. Role of fire in seed germination of woody taxa in California chaparral. Ecology. 68(2): 434-443.; material found here
7. ^ Mirov, N. T.; Kraebel, C. J. 1937. Collecting and propagating the seeds of California wild plants. Res. Note No. 18. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, California Forest and Range Experiment Station. 27 p.