Populus fremontii
Frémont's cottonwood | |
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Frémont's Cottonwood at Zion Lodge, Zion National Park, Utah | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Salicaceae |
Genus: | Populus |
Section: | Populus sect. Aigeiros |
Species: | P. fremontii
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Binomial name | |
Populus fremontii | |
Natural range of P. fremontii |
Populus fremontii, commonly known as Frémont's cottonwood,
Distribution
The tree is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico.
A riparian tree, it grows near streams, rivers,
Description
P. fremontii is a large tree growing from 12–35 m (39–115 ft) in height with a wide crown, with a trunk up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in diameter. The bark is smooth when young, becoming deeply fissured with whitish, cracked bark on old trees.
The 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) long
The inflorescence consists of a long, drooping catkin, which blooms from March to April. The fruit is a wind-dispersed achene, that appears to look like patches of cotton hanging from limbs, thus the name cottonwood.
The largest known P. fremontii tree in the United States grows in Skull Valley, Arizona. In 2012, it had a measured circumference of 557 in (14,100 mm), height of 102 ft (31 m), and a spread of 149.5 ft (45.6 m).[7]
Subspecies or varieties
Two subspecies are currently recognized. Some confusion due to hybridization with a Rio Grande subspecies of Populus deltoides subsp. wislizeni had originally placed this eastern cottonwood subspecies as a P. fremontii subspecies, but it was removed in 1977.[8]
- P. f. subsp. fremontii, with synonyms P. f. var. arizonica - Sarg. and P. f. var. macdougalii - (Rose) Jeps. from California and west of the Continental Divide[8]
- P. f. subsp. mesetae - Eckenwal., of arid areas of Mexico and west Texas, and widely planted elsewhere, generally east of the Continental Divide[8]
Uses
Cultivation
P. fremontii is cultivated as an
, and shade for recreation facilities, parks, and livestock.Frémont's cottonwood was used in the past by settlers and ranchers for fuel and fence posts.
Native Americans
- Traditional medicine
- Art
The
See also
- California native plants
- Riparian buffer
- Riparian forest
References
- ISBN 978-0-87421-824-4.
- ^ a b c d e "Populus fremontii subsp. fremontii". Jepson Manual. University of California Press. 1993.
- ^ "Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwood)". Calflora Database.
- ^ "Populus fremontii S. Watson". Germplasm Resources Information Network. USDA. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ "USDA Plant Fact Sheet" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved February 5, 2002.
- ^ "Range Plants of Utah". Utah State University. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
- ^ "Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii". American Forests. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ .
- ^ "Digital Desert: Mojave Desert". MojaveDesert.net. n.d.
- ^ Padgett, Kenneth. "Kachina Dolls". Guide to Hopi Kachina (katsina) Dolls. Retrieved September 8, 2015.