Cornus canadensis

Last updated

Cornus canadensis
CanadianDogwoodGrowingTrailSide cropped.jpg
Growing at Elfin Lakes, British Columbia
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Cornus
Subgenus: Cornus subg. Arctocrania
Species:
C. canadensis
Binomial name
Cornus canadensis
L.

Cornus canadensis is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to eastern Asia and North America. [2] Common names include Canadian dwarf cornel, Canadian bunchberry, quatre-temps, crackerberry, and creeping dogwood. [3] [4] Unlike its relatives, which are for the most part substantial trees and shrubs, C. canadensis is a creeping, rhizomatous perennial growing to about 20 centimetres (8 inches) tall.

Contents

Description

Cornus canadensis is a slow-growing herbaceous perennial growing 10–20 centimetres (4–8 inches) tall, generally forming a carpet-like mat. The above-ground shoots rise from slender creeping rhizomes that are placed 2.5–7.5 cm (1–3 in) deep in the soil, and form clonal colonies under trees. The vertically produced above-ground stems are slender and unbranched. Produced near the terminal node, the leaves are shiny dark green and arranged oppositely on the stem, clustered with six leaves that often seem to be in a whorl because the internodes are compressed. The leaves consist of two types: two larger and four smaller leaves; the smaller ones develop from the axillary buds of the larger leaves. The leaves have petioles 2 to 3 millimetres (332 to 18 in) in length and leaf blades that are obovate. The blades have entire margins and are 3.5 to 4.8 cm (1+12 to 2 in) long and 1.5 to 2.5 cm (12 to 1 in) wide, with 2–3 veins, cuneate shaped bases and abruptly acuminate apexes. In autumn, the leaves have red-tinted veins and turn completely red.

Flowers

Mature and immature flowers, Bonnechere Provincial Park, Ontario Bunchberry plants.jpg
Mature and immature flowers, Bonnechere Provincial Park, Ontario

In late spring to midsummer, white flowers are produced that are 2 cm (2532 inch) in diameter with reflexed petals that are ovate-lanceolate in shape and 1–2 cm (13322532 inch) long. [5] The inflorescences are made up of compound terminal cymes, with large showy white bracts that resemble petals. The bracts are green when immature. The bracts are broadly ovate and 0.8 to 1.2 cm (516 to 12 inch) long and 0.5 to 1.1 cm (316 to 716 inch) wide, with seven parallel running veins. The lower nodes on the stem have greatly reduced rudimentary leaves. The calyx tube is obovate in shape and 1 mm long, covered with densely pubescent hairs along with grayish white appressed trichomes. Stamens are very short, being 1 mm long. The anthers are yellowish white in color, narrowly ovoid in shape. The styles are 1 mm long and glabrous. Plants are for the most part self-sterile and dependent on pollinators for sexual reproduction. Pollinators include bumblebees, solitary bees, beeflies, and syrphid flies. [6] The fruits look like berries but are drupes.

Pollen release

Each flower has highly elastic petals that flip backward, releasing springy filaments that are cocked underneath the petals. The filaments snap upward flinging pollen out of containers hinged to the filaments. The stamens accelerate at a rate of 24,000 m/s2. [7] The motion, which can be triggered by pollinators, takes place in less than half a millisecond. The bunchberry has one of the fastest plant actions found so far requiring a camera capable of shooting 10,000 frames per second to catch the action. [8] [9]

Fruit

Immature flowers Bunchberry Immature flowers.jpg
Immature flowers
Fruit Ccanadensis.jpg
Fruit

The drupes are green, globose in shape, turning bright red at maturity in late summer; each fruit is 5 mm in diameter and contains typically one or two ellipsoid-ovoid shaped stones. The fruits come into season in late summer. [10] The large seeds within are somewhat hard and crunchy.

Taxonomy

While distinctive as a species itself, the generic placement of these plants has differed in various botanical treatments. When the genus Cornus is taken broadly, as done here, this species is Cornus canadensis, and is included in the subgenus Arctocrania. [11] However, if Cornus is treated in a narrower sense, excluding this species, it can instead be classified as Chamaepericlymenum canadense or as Cornella canadensis. [12] [13]

Where C. canadensis, a forest species, and Cornus suecica , a bog species, grow near each other in their overlapping ranges in Alaska, Labrador, and Greenland, they can hybridize by cross-pollination, producing plants with intermediate characteristics. [14] [15]

Distribution and habitat

Its native distribution includes Japan, North Korea, northeastern China (Jilin Province), the Russian Far East, the northern United States, Colorado, New Mexico, Canada and Greenland. [3]

Cornus canadensis is a mesophytic species that needs cool, moist soils. It inhabits montane and boreal coniferous forests, where it is found growing along the margins of moist woods, on old tree stumps, in mossy areas, and among other open and moist habitats. [16] [17]

Ecology

Birds are the main dispersal agents of the seeds, feeding on the fruit during their fall migration. In Alaska, bunchberry is an important forage plant for mule deer, black-tailed deer and moose, which eat it throughout the growing season. [18]

Uses

It is used as ornamental groundcover in gardens. It prefers moist acidic soil. [19] The wildflower author Claude A. Barr was of the opinion that the crimson berries are even more attractive than the flowers. [20]

The fruits are edible raw but have little flavor. [10] [4] The pulp does not easily separate from the seeds. The berries can be cooked, strained, and combined with other fruits or used for pudding. [21]

Culture

Claire Waight Keller included the plant to represent Canada in Meghan Markle's wedding veil, which included the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country. [22]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cornus florida</i> Species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae

Cornus florida, the flowering dogwood, is a species of flowering tree in the family Cornaceae native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. An endemic population once spanned from southernmost coastal Maine south to northern Florida and west to the Mississippi River. The tree is commonly planted as an ornamental in residential and public areas because of its showy bracts and interesting bark structure.

<i>Cornus</i> Genus of flowering plants in the dogwood family Cornaceae

Cornus is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods or cornels, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shrubs, but a few species are nearly herbaceous perennial subshrubs, and some species are evergreen. Several species have small heads of inconspicuous flowers surrounded by an involucre of large, typically white petal-like bracts, while others have more open clusters of petal-bearing flowers. The various species of dogwood are native throughout much of temperate and boreal Eurasia and North America, with China, Japan, and the southeastern United States being particularly rich in native species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bract</span> Modified or specialized leaf

In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves; they may be of a different size, color, shape, or texture. Typically, they also look different from the parts of the flower, such as the petals or sepals. A plant having bracts is referred to as bracteate or bracteolate, while one that lacks them is referred to as ebracteate or ebracteolate.

<i>Cornus nuttallii</i> Species of plant

Cornus nuttallii, the Pacific dogwood,western dogwood, or mountain dogwood, is a species of dogwood tree native to western North America. The tree's name used by Hul'q'umi'num'-speaking nations is Kwi’txulhp.

<i>Cornus racemosa</i> Species of tree

Cornus racemosa, the northern swamp dogwood, gray dogwood, or panicle dogwood, is a shrubby plant native to southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States. It is a member of the dogwood genus Cornus and the family Cornaceae.

<i>Cornus sericea</i> Species of flowering plant

Cornus sericea, the red osier or red-osier dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cornaceae, native to much of North America. It has sometimes been considered a synonym of the Asian species Cornus alba. Other names include red brush, red willow, redstem dogwood, redtwig dogwood, red-rood, American dogwood, creek dogwood, and western dogwood.

<i>Cornus sanguinea</i> Species of tree

Cornus sanguinea, the common dogwood or bloody dogwood, is a species of dogwood native to most of Europe and western Asia, from England and central Scotland east to the Caspian Sea. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant.

<i>Cornus alternifolia</i> Species of tree

Cornus alternifolia is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland west to southern Manitoba and Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Mississippi. It is rare in the southern United States. It is commonly known as green osier, alternate-leaved dogwood, and pagoda dogwood.

<i>Cornus suecica</i> Species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae

Cornus suecica, the dwarf cornel or bunchberry, is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae, native to cool temperate and subarctic regions of Europe Asia, and North America.

<i>Anemonastrum canadense</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae

Anemonastrum canadense, synonym Anemone canadensis, the Canada anemone, round-headed anemone, round-leaf thimbleweed, meadow anemone, windflower, or crowfoot, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae. It is native to moist meadows, thickets, streambanks, and lakeshores in North America, spreading rapidly by underground rhizomes. It is valued for its white flowers.

<i>Amelanchier canadensis</i> Species of tree

Amelanchier canadensis is a species of Amelanchier native to eastern North America in Canada from Newfoundland west to southern Ontario, and in the United States from Maine south to Alabama. It is largely restricted to wet sites, particularly on the Atlantic coastal plain, growing at altitudes from sea level up to 200 m.

<i>Anemonastrum narcissiflorum</i> Species of flowering plant

Anemonastrum narcissiflorum, the narcissus anemone or narcissus-flowered anemone, is a herbaceous perennial in the genus Anemonastrum and the buttercup family. Basionym: Anemone narcissiflora Hook. & Arn.

<i>Mentha canadensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Mentha canadensis is a species of mint native to North America and the eastern part of Asia. In North America, it is commonly known as Canada mint, American wild mint, and in Asia as Chinese mint, Sakhalin mint, Japanese mint, and East Asian wild mint. The flowers are bluish or have a slight violet tint. The plant is upright, growing to about 4–18 in (10–46 cm) tall. Leaves grow opposite from each other, and flower bunches appear in the upper leaf axils. The mint grows in wet areas but not directly in water, so it will be found near sloughs, and lake and river edges. Plants bloom from July to August in their native habitats.

<i>Cypripedium parviflorum</i> Species of orchid

Cypripedium parviflorum, commonly known as yellow lady's slipper or moccasin flower, is a lady's slipper orchid native to North America. It is widespread, ranging from Alaska south to Arizona and Georgia. It grows in fens, wetlands, shorelines, and damp woodlands.

<i>Rubus pubescens</i> Berry and plant

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<i>Cypripedium passerinum</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Chrysosplenium iowense</i> Species of flowering plant

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References

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  2. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1405332965.
  3. 1 2 "Cornus canadensis". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
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  8. Edwards, Joan; Whitaker, Dwight; Klionsky, Sarah; Laskowski, Marta J. (2005). "Botany: a record-breaking pollen catapult". Nature . 435 (7039): 164. Bibcode:2005Natur.435..164E. doi: 10.1038/435164a . PMID   15889081. S2CID   4412631.
  9. Edwards, Joan; Smith, Gordon P.; McEntee, Molly H.F. (2015). "Long-term time-lapse video provides near complete records of floral visitation" (PDF). Journal of Pollination Ecology. 16 (13): 91–100. doi:10.26786/1920-7603(2015)16 . Retrieved 20 December 2021.
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  14. Neiland, Bonita J. 1971. The forest-bog complex of southeast Alaska. Vegetatio. 22: 1-64.
  15. Murrell, Zack E. 1994. Dwarf dogwoods: Intermediacy and the morphological landscape. Systematic Botany 19: 539-556.
  16. "Cornus canadensis - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  17. "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org.
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  22. "The Wedding Dress, Bridesmaids' Dresses and Page Boys' Uniforms". 2018-05-19.