Species: Prunus americana Marsh.

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Prunus americana Marsh.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Prunus

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

American plum
wild plum

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southeastern Saskatchewan – southern Manitoba – southwestern Ontario

Saskatchewan:

southeastern Saskatchewan; Souris River Valley – Antler River Valley – Pipestone Creek Valley

Ecoregion:

Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

borders of riparian deciduous woods

Associated Species:

alder, American elm, chokecherry, green ash

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Why rare?

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

3 – 8 m

Stems:

shrub or small tree, usually forming thickets; branchlets often somewhat thorny, hairless or nearly so

Leaves:

simple, alternate, 3 – 10 cm, egg-shaped to lance-shaped, base acute to rounded, tip pointed, green and hairless above, slightly hairy below, margin doubly saw-toothed; leaf stalk 8 – 20 mm long, may be glandular near leaf; stipules linear, 5 – 14 mm long, 1 – 3-toothed, hairy, early deciduous

Inflorescence:

flowers in bundles of 2 – 5, usually appearing before leaves; flower stalks 7 – 20 mm long, hairless

Flowers:

hypanthium 2.5 – 3 mm long, hairless; sepals 5, 3 – 4 mm long, oblong to long-tapered at tip, reflexed; petals 5, 8 – 12 mm long, oval, clawed, white; stamens 20 – 30; ovary hairless, stigma head-like

Fruits:

one-seeded, fleshy, 15 – 25 mm long, reddish-purple or yellowish, with a slight bloom; stone compressed

PRUNUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers in elongate terminal, elongated clusters	2
1 Flowers solitary, bundled, or in umbrella-like clusters, usually in clusters of 2 – 5	3

2 Leaves thick; shrub or small tree to 6 m tall; fruits black and sweet	P. virginiana var. melanocarpa
2 Leaves thin; shrub or small tree to 15 m tall; fruits red or purplish and astringent	P. virginiana var. virginiana

3 Leaves entire near base; leaves bluish below	P. pumila var. besseyi
3 Leaves toothed to base or nearly so; leaves green below	4

4 Plums; stone flattened or swollen; petals 9 – 15 mm long	P. americana
4 Cherries; stone more or less round; petals not more than 8 mm long	P. pensylvanica var. pensylvanica