Physocarpus
malvaceus
(Mallow Ninebark)
[Kuntze (Greene)]
Subclass:
Rosidae
Order:
Rosales
Family:
Rosaceae
Family Description:
Rose
Key Characteristics:
The bark peels or shreds, thus the name, Ninebark. |
leaves |
flowers |
fruit |
- The 3-5 lobed leaves are sharply toothed, ovate, slightly cordate,
dark green adaxially, but paler and stellate pubescent abaxially.
- The leaves are approximately 2-8 cm long and 2-8 cm wide and doubly
crenate.
|
- The 5-30 flowers are arranged in terminal corymbs each on a pedicel
up to 2.3 cm long.
- The hypanthium, and pistil are densely stellate pubescent.
- The sepals vary from 2.2 to 4.6 mm long and the white petals are 3.3-6.7
mm long and 1.5-4.8 mm wide.
|
- The two follicles are fused up to about ½ of their 4.9-6 mm
length.
|
General
Description:
A small shrub 0.5-2 M tall with glabrous to stellate hairy twigs of drier woodlands
east of the Cascade range. The bark peels or shreds, thus the name, Ninebark.
Distribution:
South central British Columbia east through southwest Alberta southward through
central Washington, eastern Oregon east of the Cascade Mountains, Montana, Wyoming,
Idaho and Utah.
Habitat:
Moist slopes, along streams, and moist woods, Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir
woodlands and canyon bottoms; associates are aspen, and mixed conifer stands
in elevations from 1600 to 3300 meters.
Other:
This plant is sometimes cultivated where water is a limiting factor. Other than
incidental browsing by big game, no uses are reported.
Photos and Information written
by Dr. Karl E. Holte,© 2002