MOUNTAIN-MAHOGANY

(Redirected from Cercocarpus)

'Mountain-mahogany' (''Cercocarpus'') is a small genus of five or six species of deciduous shrubs or small trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow in semi-desert climates, often at high altitudes. They typically reach 3–6 m tall, but exceptionally up to 13 m tall.

The classification of ''Cercocarpus'' within the Rosaceae is presently unclear. The genus was originally placed in the subfamily Rosoideae, and later in subfamily Dryadeae along with the genera ''Chamaebatia'', ''Purshia'' and ''''Dryas'''', all four genera sharing root nodules that host the nitrogen-fixing bacterium ''Frankia''. However, recent genetic research indicates that Dryadeae may be polyphyletic, with ''Dryas'' not closely related to the other three genera.

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★ Phylogeny of Rosoideae (pdf file)