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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} | ||
{{Automatic taxobox | {{Automatic taxobox | ||
| oldest_fossil = Paleocene | | oldest_fossil = Paleocene | ||
| image = | | image = 20120904Alnus glutinosa01.jpg | ||
| image_caption = ''Alnus | | image_caption = Common alder (''[[Alnus glutinosa]]'') | ||
| display_parents = 3 | | display_parents = 3 | ||
| taxon = Alnus | | taxon = Alnus | ||
| Line 15: | Line 14: | ||
| range_map = Alnus distribution.svg | | range_map = Alnus distribution.svg | ||
| range_map_caption = | | range_map_caption = | ||
| synonyms_ref = <ref name= | | synonyms_ref = <ref name="KewChecklist">{{cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=6245|title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|website=apps.kew.org}}</ref> | ||
| synonyms = | | synonyms = | ||
{{collapsible list|bullets = true | |||
|title=Genus synonyms | |||
|''Betula-alnus'' {{small|Marshall}} | |||
|''Duschekia'' {{small|Opiz}} | |||
|''Alnaster'' {{small|Spach}} | |||
|''Clethropsis'' {{small|Spach}} | |||
|''Semidopsis'' {{small|Zumagl.}} | |||
|''Alnobetula'' {{small|(W.D.J.Koch) Schur.}} | |||
|''Cremastogyne'' {{small|(H.J.P.Winkl.) Czerep.}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
}} | |||
[[File:Alder catkins - 1 (2222383479).jpg|thumb|right|Female alder catkins after shedding their seeds]] | |||
[[File:Alnus_serrulata.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Alnus serrulata]]'' male catkins]] | |||
[[ | '''Alders''' are [[tree]]s of the genus '''''Alnus''''' in the birch family [[Betulaceae]]. The genus includes about 35 species<ref name="Arno-2020">{{Cite book |last1=Arno |first1=Stephen F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qDD4DwAAQBAJ |title=Northwest Trees: Identifying & Understanding the Region's Native Trees |last2=Hammerly |first2=Ramona P. |publisher=[[Mountaineers Books]] |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-68051-329-5 |edition=field guide |location=Seattle |pages=208–215 |language=en |oclc=1141235469 |orig-date=1977}}</ref> of [[monoecious]] trees and [[shrub]]s, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the [[Temperate climate|north temperate zone]] with a few species extending into [[Central America]], as well as the northern and southern [[Andes]].<ref name="KewChecklist"/> | ||
== Description == | |||
[[File:LUT SEM Alder pollen 3kx.jpg|thumb|right|Pollen]] | |||
With a few exceptions, alders are [[deciduous]], and the leaves are alternate, simple, and [[serration|serrated]]. The [[flower]]s are [[catkin]]s with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly [[wind-pollinated]], but also visited by bees to a small extent. These trees differ from the [[birch]]es (''Betula'', another genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many [[conifer cone]]s. | With a few exceptions, alders are [[deciduous]], and the leaves are alternate, simple, and [[serration|serrated]]. The [[flower]]s are [[catkin]]s with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly [[wind-pollinated]], but also visited by bees to a small extent. These trees differ from the [[birch]]es (''Betula'', another genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many [[conifer cone]]s. | ||
The largest species are [[red alder]] (''A. rubra'') on the west coast of North America, and [[Alnus glutinosa|black alder]] (''A. glutinosa''), [[Native species|native]] to most of Europe and widely introduced elsewhere, both reaching over {{convert|30|m|ft|-1}}. By contrast, the widespread ''[[Alnus alnobetula]]'' (green alder) is rarely more than a {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=on|adj=mid|-tall}} shrub. | The largest species are [[red alder]] (''A. rubra'') on the west coast of North America, and [[Alnus glutinosa|black alder]] (''A. glutinosa''), [[Native species|native]] to most of Europe and widely introduced elsewhere, both reaching over {{convert|30|m|ft|-1}}. By contrast, the widespread ''[[Alnus alnobetula]]'' (green alder) is rarely more than a {{convert|5|m|ft|abbr=on|adj=mid|-tall}} shrub. | ||
== | ==Phylogeny== | ||
=== Classification === | === Classification === | ||
{{multiple image | {{multiple image | ||
| image1 = Youngbullantlers.JPG | | image1 = Youngbullantlers.JPG | ||
| caption1 = A young bull moose [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]] on Alnus in [[Homer, Alaska]] in 2010 | | caption1 = A young bull moose [[Browsing (herbivory)|browsing]] on ''Alnus'' in [[Homer, Alaska]] in 2010 | ||
| image2 = Big alders.jpg | | image2 = Big alders.jpg | ||
| caption2 = The same spot from the same angle in 2021, the plants are now about {{convert|12-15|feet|order=flip}} in height | | caption2 = The same spot from the same angle in 2021, the plants are now about {{convert|12-15|feet|order=flip}} in height | ||
| Line 47: | Line 51: | ||
| footer = | | footer = | ||
}} | }} | ||
The genus is divided into three subgenera: | The genus is divided into three subgenera: | ||
==== Subgenus ''Alnus'' ==== | ==== Subgenus ''Alnus'' ==== | ||
[[File:Alnus incana rugosa leaves.jpg|right|thumb|Speckled alder (''Alnus incana'' subsp. ''rugosa'')—leaves]] | |||
[[File:Alnus serrulata leaves.jpg|right|thumb|Leaves of the tag alder]] | |||
Trees with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) but stay closed over winter, pollinating in late winter or early spring, about 15–25 species, including: | Trees with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) but stay closed over winter, pollinating in late winter or early spring, about 15–25 species, including: | ||
* ''[[Alnus acuminata]]'' | {{Div col}} | ||
** subsp. ''acuminata'' | * ''[[Alnus acuminata]]'' {{small|Kunth}} | ||
** subsp. ''arguta'' | ** subsp. ''acuminata'' {{small|Kunth}} | ||
** subsp. ''glabrata'' | ** subsp. ''arguta'' {{small|(Schltdl.) Furlow}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus cordata]]'' | ** subsp. ''glabrata'' {{small|(Fernald) Furlow}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus cremastogyne]]'' | * ''[[Alnus cordata]]'' {{small|(Loisel.) Duby}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus firma]]'' | * ''[[Alnus cremastogyne]]'' {{small|Burkill}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus glutinosa]]'' | * ''[[Alnus firma]]'' {{small|Siebold & Zucc.}} | ||
** subsp. ''barbata'' | * ''[[Alnus glutinosa]]'' {{small|(L.) Gaertn.}} | ||
** subsp. ''glutinosa'' | ** subsp. ''barbata'' {{small|(C.A.Mey.) Yalt.}} | ||
** subsp. ''incisa'' | ** subsp. ''glutinosa'' {{small|(L.) Gaertn.}} | ||
** subsp. ''laciniata'' | ** subsp. ''incisa'' {{small|(Willd.) Regel}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus hirsuta]]'' | ** subsp. ''laciniata'' {{small|(Willd.) Regel}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus hirsuta]]'' {{small|(Spach) Rupr.}} | |||
* ''[[Alnus incana]]'' | * ''[[Alnus incana]]'' {{small|(L.) Moench}} | ||
** subsp. ''incana'' | ** subsp. ''incana'' {{small|(L.) Moench}} | ||
** subsp. ''kolaensis'' | ** subsp. ''kolaensis'' {{small|(Orlova) Á.Löve & D.Löve}} | ||
** subsp. ''rugosa'' | ** subsp. ''rugosa'' {{small|(Du Roi) R.T.Clausen}} | ||
** subsp. ''tenuifolia'' | ** subsp. ''tenuifolia'' {{small|(Nutt.) Breitung}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus japonica]]'' | * ''[[Alnus japonica]]'' {{small|(Thunb.) Steud.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus jorullensis]]'' | * ''[[Alnus jorullensis]]'' {{small|Kunth}} | ||
** subsp. ''lutea'' | ** subsp. ''lutea'' {{small|Furlow}} | ||
** subsp. ''jorullensis'' | ** subsp. ''jorullensis'' {{small|Kunth}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus lusitanica]]'' | * ''[[Alnus lusitanica]]'' {{small|Vít, Douda, & Mandák}}<ref name="Vít-2017">{{cite journal |last1=Vít |first1=Petr |last2=Douda |first2=Jan |last3=Krak |first3=Karol |last4=Havrdová |first4=Alena |last5=Mandák |first5=Bohumil |year=2017 |title=Two new polyploid species closely related to ''Alnus glutinosa'' in Europe and North Africa – an analysis based on morphometry, karyology, flow cytometry and microsatellites |journal=Taxon |volume=66 |issue=3 |pages=567–583 |doi=10.12705/663.4 |bibcode=2017Taxon..66..567V |hdl=11104/0278345 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> | ||
* ''[[Alnus matsumurae]]'' | * ''[[Alnus matsumurae]]'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus nepalensis]]'' | * ''[[Alnus nepalensis]]'' {{small|D.Don}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus oblongifolia]]'' | * ''[[Alnus oblongifolia]]'' {{small|Torr.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus orientalis]]'' | * ''[[Alnus orientalis]]'' {{small|Decne.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus rhombifolia]]'' | * ''[[Alnus rhombifolia]]'' {{small|Nutt.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus rohlenae]]'' | * ''[[Alnus rohlenae]]'' {{small|Vít, Douda, & Mandák}}<ref name="Vít-2017" /> | ||
* ''[[Alnus rubra]]'' | * ''[[Alnus rubra]]'' {{small|Bong.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus serrulata]]'' {{small|(Aiton) Willd.}} | |||
* ''[[Alnus serrulata]]'' | * ''[[Alnus subcordata]]'' {{small|C.A.Mey.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus subcordata]]'' | * ''[[Alnus tenuifolia]]'' {{small|Nutt.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus tenuifolia]]'' | * ''[[Alnus trabeculosa]]'' {{small|Hand.-Mazz.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus trabeculosa]]'' | {{Div col end}} | ||
==== Subgenus ''Clethropsis'' ==== | ==== Subgenus ''Clethropsis'' ==== | ||
Trees or shrubs with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) and expanding and pollinating then, three species: | Trees or shrubs with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) and expanding and pollinating then, three species: | ||
* ''[[Alnus formosana]]'' | |||
* ''[[Alnus maritima]]'' | * ''[[Alnus formosana]]'' {{small|(Burkill) Makino}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus nitida]]'' | * ''[[Alnus maritima]]'' {{small|(Marshall) Muhl. ex Nutt.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus nitida]]'' {{small|(Spach) Endl.}} | |||
==== Subgenus ''Alnobetula'' ==== | ==== Subgenus ''Alnobetula'' ==== | ||
[[File:Alnus-viridis-leaves.JPG|right|thumb|Green alder (''Alnus viridis'')]] | |||
Shrubs with shoot buds not stalked, male and female catkins produced in late spring (after leaves appear) and expanding and pollinating then, one to four species: | Shrubs with shoot buds not stalked, male and female catkins produced in late spring (after leaves appear) and expanding and pollinating then, one to four species: | ||
* ''[[Alnus alnobetula]]'' | {{Div col}} | ||
** subsp. ''alnobetula'' | * ''[[Alnus alnobetula]]'' {{small|(Ehrh.) K.Koch}} (synonym-''Alnus viridis'') | ||
** subsp. ''crispa'' | ** subsp. ''alnobetula'' {{small|(Ehrh.) K.Koch}} | ||
** subsp. ''fruticosa'' | ** subsp. ''crispa'' {{small|(Aiton) Raus}} | ||
** subsp. ''sinuata'' | ** subsp. ''fruticosa'' {{small|(Rupr.) Raus}} | ||
** subsp. ''suaveolens'' | ** subsp. ''sinuata'' {{small|(Regel) Raus}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus firma]]'' | ** subsp. ''suaveolens'' {{small|(Req.) Lambinon & Kerguélen}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus mandshurica]]'' | * ''[[Alnus firma]]'' {{small|Siebold & Zucc.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus maximowiczii]]'' | * ''[[Alnus mandshurica]]'' {{small|(Callier) Hand.-Mazz.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus pendula]]'' | * ''[[Alnus maximowiczii]]'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus sieboldiana]]'' | * ''[[Alnus pendula]]'' {{small| Matsum.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus sieboldiana]]'' {{small| Matsum.}} | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==== Not assigned to a subgenus ==== | ==== Not assigned to a subgenus ==== | ||
* ''[[Alnus fauriei]]'' | {{div col}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus ferdinandi-coburgii]]'' | * ''[[Alnus fauriei]]'' {{small|H.Lév. & Vaniot}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus glutipes]]'' | * ''[[Alnus ferdinandi-coburgii]]'' {{small|C.K.Schneid.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus hakkodensis]]'' | * ''[[Alnus glutipes]]'' {{small|(Jarm. ex Czerpek) Vorosch.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus henryi]]'' | * ''[[Alnus hakkodensis]]'' {{small|Hayashi}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus lanata]]'' | * ''[[Alnus henryi]]'' {{small|C.K.Schneid.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus mairei]]'' | * ''[[Alnus lanata]]'' {{small|Duthie ex Bean}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus paniculata]]'' | * ''[[Alnus mairei]]'' {{small|H.Lév.}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus serrulatoides]]'' | * ''[[Alnus paniculata]]'' {{small|Nakai}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus vermicularis]]'' | * ''[[Alnus serrulatoides]]'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus vermicularis]]'' {{small|Nakai}} | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==== Species names with uncertain taxonomic status ==== | ==== Species names with uncertain taxonomic status ==== | ||
The status of the following species is unresolved: | The status of the following species is unresolved:{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} | ||
{{ | |||
* ''Alnus balatonialis'' | {{Div col|colwidth=300px}} | ||
* ''Alnus cuneata'' | * ''Alnus balatonialis'' {{small|Borbás}} | ||
* ''Alnus dimitrovii'' | * ''Alnus cuneata'' {{small|Geyer ex Walp.}} | ||
* ''Alnus djavanshirii'' | * ''Alnus dimitrovii'' {{small|Jordanov & Kitanov}} | ||
* ''Alnus dolichocarpa'' | * ''Alnus djavanshirii'' {{small|H.Zare}} – Iran | ||
* ''Alnus figerti'' | * ''Alnus dolichocarpa'' {{small|H.Zare, Amini & Assadi}} – Iran | ||
* ''Alnus frangula'' | * ''Alnus figerti'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''Alnus gigantea'' | * ''Alnus frangula'' {{small|L. ex Huth}} | ||
* ''Alnus glandulosa'' | * ''Alnus gigantea'' {{small|Nakai}} | ||
* ''Alnus henedae'' | * ''Alnus glandulosa'' {{small|Sarg.}} | ||
* ''Alnus hybrida'' | * ''Alnus henedae'' {{small|Sugim.}} | ||
* ''Alnus laciniata'' | * ''Alnus hybrida'' {{small|Rchb.}} | ||
* ''Alnus lobata'' | * ''Alnus laciniata'' {{small|Ehrh.}} | ||
* ''Alnus microphylla'' | * ''Alnus lobata'' {{small|Nyman}} | ||
* ''Alnus obtusifolia'' | * ''Alnus microphylla'' {{small|Arv.-Touv.}} | ||
* ''Alnus oxyacantha'' | * ''Alnus obtusifolia'' {{small|Mert. ex Regel}} | ||
* ''Alnus subrotunda'' | * ''Alnus oxyacantha'' {{small|Lavalle}} | ||
* ''Alnus vilmoriana'' | * ''Alnus subrotunda'' {{small|Desf.}} | ||
* ''Alnus washingtonia'' | * ''Alnus vilmoriana'' {{small|Lebas}} | ||
{{ | * ''Alnus washingtonia'' {{small|Wetzel}} | ||
{{Div col end}} | |||
==== Hybrids ==== | ==== Hybrids ==== | ||
The following hybrids have been described:<ref name="PlantList" /><ref name=" | [[File:AlnusXspaethii.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Alnus x spaethii|Alnus × spaethii]]'']] | ||
* ''[[Alnus × elliptica]]'' | |||
* ''[[Alnus × fallacina]]'' | The following hybrids have been described:<ref name="PlantList">{{cite web |date=September 2013 |title=The Plant List entry for ''Alnus'' |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Betulaceae/Alnus/ |access-date=14 December 2020 |website=[[The Plant List]], v.1.1 |publisher=[[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]] and the [[Missouri Botanical Garden]]}}</ref><ref name="Govaerts-2017">{{cite web |author=Govaerts R |title=''Alnus'' Mill. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30000643-2 |access-date=14 December 2020 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew}}</ref> | ||
* ''[[Alnus × hanedae]]'' | |||
* ''[[Alnus × hosoii]]'' | {{Div col}} | ||
* ''[[Alnus × mayrii]]'' | * ''[[Alnus × elliptica]]'' {{small|Req.}} (''A. cordata'' × ''A. glutinosa'') | ||
* ''[[Alnus × peculiaris]]'' | * ''[[Alnus × fallacina]]'' {{small|Callier}} (''A. incana'' subsp. ''rugosa'' × ''A. serrulata'') | ||
* ''[[Alnus × pubescens]]'' | * ''[[Alnus × hanedae]]'' {{small|Suyinata}} (''A. firma'' × ''A. sieboldiana'') | ||
* ''[[Alnus × suginoi]]'' | * ''[[Alnus × hosoii]]'' {{small|Mizush.}} (''A. maximowiczii'' × ''A. pendula'') | ||
* ''[[Alnus × mayrii]]'' {{small|Callier}} (''A. hirsuta'' × ''A. japonica'') | |||
* ''[[Alnus × peculiaris]]'' {{small|Hiyama}} (''A. firma'' × ''A. pendula'') | |||
* ''[[Alnus × pubescens]]'' {{small|Tausch.}} (''A. glutinosa'' × ''A. incana'') | |||
* ''[[Alnus × suginoi]]'' {{small|Sugim.}} | |||
{{Div col end}} | |||
The status of the following hybrids is unresolved:<ref name="PlantList" /> | The status of the following hybrids is unresolved:<ref name="PlantList" /> | ||
{{ | {{Div col|colwidth=300px}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''aschersoniana'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''aschersoniana'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''koehnei'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''koehnei'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''ljungeri'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''ljungeri'' {{small|Murai}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''purpusii'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''purpusii'' {{small|Callier}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''silesiaca'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''silesiaca'' {{small|Fiek}} | ||
* ''Alnus'' × ''spaethii'' | * ''Alnus'' × ''spaethii'' {{small|Callier}} (''A. japonica'' × ''A. subcordata'') | ||
{{ | {{Div col end}} | ||
=== | ===Fossil record=== | ||
The oldest fossil pollen that can be identified as ''Alnus'' is from northern [[Bohemia]], dating to the late [[Paleocene]], around 58 million years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Xiao-Yue |last2=Wang |first2=Ze-Fu |last3=Luo |first3=Wen-Chun |last4=Guo |first4=Xin-Yi |last5=Zhang |first5=Cai-Hua |last6=Liu |first6=Jian-Quan |last7=Ren |first7=Guang-Peng |date=September 2019 |title=Plastomes of Betulaceae and phylogenetic implications |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jse.12479 |journal=Journal of Systematics and Evolution |language=en |volume=57 |issue=5 |pages=508–518 |doi=10.1111/jse.12479 |bibcode=2019JSyEv..57..508Y |issn=1674-4918 |s2cid=91509152|url-access=subscription }}</ref> | |||
= | {{Div col |colwidth=50em}} | ||
* †''[[Alnus fairi]]'' {{small|([[Frank Knowlton|Knowlton]]) Wolfe, 1966}} - Miocene; Western North America<ref name="Wolfe-1966">{{cite report |last1=Wolfe |first1=J.A. |year=1966 |title=Tertiary plants from the Cook Inlet region, Alaska |series= Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=398B |pages=1–32 |doi=10.3133/pp398B |doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
* [[Extinction|†]]''[[Alnus heterodonta]]'' {{small|(Newberry) Meyer & Manchester 1987}} – Oligocene; Fossil, Oregon | |||
* †''[[Alnus hollandiana]]'' {{small|Jennings, 1920}} - Miocene; Western North America<ref name="Chaney-1959">{{cite book |last1=Chaney |first1=R. |last2=Axelrod |first2=D. |year=1959 |title=Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau: Part II. Systematic Considerations, by Ralph W. Chaney and Daniel I. Axelrod |publisher= Carnegie Institution of Washington |pages=1–226}}{{HathiTrust Catalog|uc1.c099384505|Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau}}</ref> | |||
* †''[[Alnus largei]]'' {{small|([[Frank Knowlton|Knowlton]]) Wolfe, 1966}} - Miocene; Western North America<ref name="Wolfe-1966"/> | |||
* †''[[Alnus parvifolia]]'' {{small|([[Edward W. Berry|Berry]]) [[Jack A. Wolfe|Wolfe]] & [[Wesley Wehr|Wehr]], 1987}} - Ypresian; [[Eocene Okanagan Highlands|Okanagan Highlands]]<ref name="Wolfe-1987">{{cite report |last1=Wolfe |first1=J. A. |last2= Wehr |first2=W. C. |year=1987 |title=Middle Eocene dicotyledonous plants from Republic, northeastern Washington |series= Bulletin |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=1597 |pages=1–25 |doi=10.3133/b1597 |doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
* †''[[Alnus relatus]]'' {{small|(Knowlton) [[Roland W. Brown|Brown]], 1937}} - Miocene; Western North America<ref name="Wolfe-1966"/> | |||
{{Div col end}} | |||
=== Etymology === | === Etymology === | ||
The common name ''alder'' evolved from the Old English word ''alor'', which in turn is derived from [[Proto-Germanic]] root ''aliso''.<ref name=" | The common name ''alder'' evolved from the Old English word ''alor'', which in turn is derived from [[Proto-Germanic]] root ''aliso''.<ref name="Harper">{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Douglas |title=alder {{!}} Etymology, origin and meaning of alder by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/alder#etymonline_v_8122 |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=[[Online Etymology Dictionary]]}}</ref> The generic name ''Alnus'' is the equivalent [[Latin]] name, from whence French ''aulne'' and Spanish ''Alamo'' (Spanish term for "[[Populus|poplar]]").<ref name="Harper" /> | ||
== Ecology == | == Ecology == | ||
Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands. Sometimes where the prevalence of alders is particularly prominent these are called [[alder carr]]s. In the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, the [[Alnus rhombifolia|white alder]] (''Alnus rhombifolia'') unlike other northwest alders, has an affinity for warm, dry climates, where it grows along watercourses, such as along the lower [[Columbia River]] east of the Cascades and the Snake River, including Hells Canyon. | Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands. Sometimes where the prevalence of alders is particularly prominent these are called [[alder carr]]s. In the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, the [[Alnus rhombifolia|white alder]] (''Alnus rhombifolia'') unlike other northwest alders, has an affinity for warm, dry climates, where it grows along watercourses, such as along the lower [[Columbia River]] east of the Cascades and the Snake River, including Hells Canyon. | ||
Alder leaves and sometimes catkins are used as food by | Alder leaves and sometimes catkins are used as food by numerous butterflies and moths. | ||
''A. glutinosa'' and ''A. viridis'' are classed as environmental weeds in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite book|last=Clayson|first=Howell|title=Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand|publisher=Department of Conservation|location=Wellington|date=May 2008|isbn=978-0-478-14412-3}}</ref> Alder leaves and especially the roots are important to the ecosystem because they [[Nitrogen fixation|enrich the soil with nitrogen]] and other nutrients. | ''A. glutinosa'' and ''A. viridis'' are classed as environmental weeds in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite book|last=Clayson|first=Howell|title=Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand|publisher=Department of Conservation|location=Wellington|date=May 2008|isbn=978-0-478-14412-3}}</ref> Alder leaves and especially the roots are important to the ecosystem because they [[Nitrogen fixation|enrich the soil with nitrogen]] and other nutrients. | ||
=== Nitrogen fixation and succession of woodland species=== | === Nitrogen fixation and succession of woodland species=== | ||
[[Image:Alnus_rubra_seeds.jpg|right|thumb|A red alder seed is a tiny [[samara (fruit)|samara]] like those of all alders]] | |||
Alder is particularly noted for its important [[symbiosis|symbiotic]] relationship with ''[[Frankia alni]]'', an [[actinomycete]], [[Filamentation|filamentous]], nitrogen-fixing [[bacteria|bacterium]]. This bacterium is found in [[root nodule]]s, which may be as large as a human fist, with many small lobes, and light brown in colour. The bacterium absorbs [[nitrogen]] from the air and makes it available to the tree. Alder, in turn, provides the bacterium with [[sugar]]s, which it produces through [[photosynthesis]]. As a result of this mutually beneficial relationship, alder improves the [[Fertility (soil)|fertility of the soil]] where it grows, and as a [[pioneer species]], it helps provide additional nitrogen for the [[Ecological succession|successional]] species to follow. | Alder is particularly noted for its important [[symbiosis|symbiotic]] relationship with ''[[Frankia alni]]'', an [[actinomycete]], [[Filamentation|filamentous]], nitrogen-fixing [[bacteria|bacterium]]. This bacterium is found in [[root nodule]]s, which may be as large as a human fist, with many small lobes, and light brown in colour. The bacterium absorbs [[nitrogen]] from the air and makes it available to the tree. Alder, in turn, provides the bacterium with [[sugar]]s, which it produces through [[photosynthesis]]. As a result of this mutually beneficial relationship, alder improves the [[Fertility (soil)|fertility of the soil]] where it grows, and as a [[pioneer species]], it helps provide additional nitrogen for the [[Ecological succession|successional]] species to follow. | ||
Because of its abundance, red alder delivers large amounts of nitrogen to enrich forest soils. Red alder stands have been found to supply between {{convert|130|and|320|kg/ha|lb/acre|abbr=off}} of nitrogen annually to the soil. From Alaska to Oregon, ''Alnus viridis'' subsp. ''sinuata'' (''A. sinuata'', Sitka alder or slide alder), characteristically pioneer fresh, gravelly sites at the foot of retreating glaciers. Studies show that Sitka alder, a more shrubby variety of alder, adds nitrogen to the soil at an average rate of {{convert|60|kg/ha|lb/acre|abbr=on}} per year, helping convert the sterile glacial terrain to soil capable of supporting a conifer forest. Alders are common among the first species to colonize disturbed areas from floods, windstorms, fires, landslides, etc. Alder groves often serve as natural firebreaks since these broad-leaved trees are much less flammable than conifers. Their foliage and [[leaf litter]] does not carry a fire well, and their thin bark is sufficiently resistant to protect them from light surface fires. In addition, the light weight of alder seeds{{Snd}}numbering {{convert|1.5|e6/kg|/lb|abbr=off|disp=or}}{{Snd}}allows for easy dispersal by the wind. Although it outgrows [[coastal Douglas-fir]] for the first 25 years, it is very [[Shade tolerance|shade intolerant]] and seldom lives more than 100 years. Red alder is the Pacific Northwest's largest alder and the most plentiful and commercially important broad-leaved tree in the coastal Northwest. Groves of red alder {{convert|25|to|50|cm|6=0}} in diameter intermingle with young Douglas-fir forests west of the Cascades, attaining a maximum height of {{convert|30|to|33|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}} in about sixty years, and then are afflicted by [[heart rot]]. Alders largely help create conditions favorable for giant conifers that replace them.<ref name="Arno-2020" /> | |||
Because of its abundance, red alder delivers large amounts of nitrogen to enrich forest soils. Red alder stands have been found to supply between {{convert|130|and|320|kg/ha|lb/acre|abbr=off}} of nitrogen annually to the soil. From Alaska to Oregon, ''Alnus viridis'' subsp. ''sinuata'' (''A. sinuata'', Sitka | |||
<gallery caption="Alder root nodules" | <gallery caption="Alder root nodules" height="250" mode="packed"> | ||
An alder root nodule gall.JPG|alt=An alder root nodule|Whole root nodule | An alder root nodule gall.JPG|alt=An alder root nodule|Whole root nodule | ||
A sectioned alder root nodule gall.JPG|alt=A sectioned alder root nodule|Sectioned root nodules | A sectioned alder root nodule gall.JPG|alt=A sectioned alder root nodule|Sectioned root nodules | ||
| Line 202: | Line 229: | ||
[[File:Wappen at grossarl.png|thumb|right|Alder coat of arms of [[Grossarl]], [[Austria]]]] | [[File:Wappen at grossarl.png|thumb|right|Alder coat of arms of [[Grossarl]], [[Austria]]]] | ||
The catkins of some alder species have a degree of edibility,<ref name=" | The catkins of some alder species have a degree of edibility,<ref name="PFAF">{{cite web|url=http://www.pfaf.org/user/DatabaseSearhResult.aspx|title=Plant Search Result, see e.g. Alnus rubra|website=pfaf.org |access-date=17 November 2020}}</ref> and may be rich in protein. Reported to have a bitter and unpleasant taste, they are more useful for survival purposes. The wood of certain alder species is often used to smoke various food items such as [[coffee]], [[salmon]], and other seafood. | ||
Alder is notably stable when immersed, and has been used for millennia as a material for [[Timber pilings|pilings]] for piers and wharves. Most of the pilings that form the foundation of [[Venice]] were made from alder trees.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nakasako|first1=Eric|title=A Look at Venice: Past and Present|url=http://illumin.usc.edu/130/a-look-at-venice-past-and-present/|website=Illumin|date=11 August 2008 |publisher=University of Southern California|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref> | |||
Alder bark contains the anti-inflammatory [[salicin]], which is metabolized into [[salicylic acid]] in the body.<ref>{{cite book |first=Susan |last=Ewing |title=The Great Alaska Nature Factbook: A Guide to the State's Remarkable Animals, Plants, and Natural Features |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=abLCCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT142 |date=2012 |publisher=Graphic Arts Books |isbn=978-0-88240-868-2 |pages=106, 142 |edition=2nd}}</ref> Some Native American cultures use red alder bark (''[[Alnus rubra]]'') to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. Blackfeet Indians have traditionally used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders and [[tuberculosis]]. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains [[betulin]] and [[lupeol]], compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors.<ref>{{cite book |title=Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West |first=Gregory L. |last=Tilford |year=1997 |publisher=Mountain Press |isbn=0-87842-359-1}}</ref> | Alder bark contains the anti-inflammatory [[salicin]], which is metabolized into [[salicylic acid]] in the body.<ref>{{cite book |first=Susan |last=Ewing |title=The Great Alaska Nature Factbook: A Guide to the State's Remarkable Animals, Plants, and Natural Features |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=abLCCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT142 |date=2012 |publisher=Graphic Arts Books |isbn=978-0-88240-868-2 |pages=106, 142 |edition=2nd}}</ref> Some Native American cultures use red alder bark (''[[Alnus rubra]]'') to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. Blackfeet Indians have traditionally used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders and [[tuberculosis]]. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains [[betulin]] and [[lupeol]], compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors.<ref>{{cite book |title=Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West |first=Gregory L. |last=Tilford |year=1997 |publisher=Mountain Press |isbn=0-87842-359-1}}</ref> | ||
| Line 212: | Line 239: | ||
Alder is illustrated in the coat of arms for the Austrian town of [[Grossarl]]. | Alder is illustrated in the coat of arms for the Austrian town of [[Grossarl]]. | ||
Electric guitars, most notably those manufactured by the [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation]], have been built with alder bodies since the 1950s. Alder is appreciated for its tone that is claimed to be tight and evenly balanced, especially when compared to mahogany, and has been adopted by many electric guitar manufacturers. | Electric guitars, most notably those manufactured by the [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation]], have been built with alder bodies since the 1950s. Alder is appreciated for its tone that is claimed to be tight and evenly balanced, especially when compared to mahogany, and has been adopted by many electric guitar manufacturers. It usually is finished in opaque lacquer ([[nitrocellulose]], [[polyurethane]], or [[polyester]]), as it does not have a prominent grain. | ||
As a [[hardwood]], alder is used in making furniture, cabinets, and other woodworking products. | As a [[hardwood]], alder is used in making furniture, cabinets, and other woodworking products. In these applications, its aforementioned lack of prominent grain means that it is often [[Wood veneer|veneer]]ed, either by stained light woods such as oak, ash, or figured maple, or by darker woods such as teak or walnut. | ||
Alder bark and wood (like [[oak]] and [[sweet chestnut]]) contain [[tannin]] and are traditionally used to tan leather. | Alder bark and wood (like [[oak]] and [[sweet chestnut]]) contain [[tannin]] and are traditionally used to tan leather. | ||
| Line 221: | Line 248: | ||
== Culture == | == Culture == | ||
[[Ermanno Olmi]]'s movie ''[[The Tree of Wooden Clogs]]'' (''L' Albero Degli Zoccoli | [[Ermanno Olmi]]'s movie ''[[The Tree of Wooden Clogs]]'' (''L' Albero Degli Zoccoli'', 1978) refers in its title to alder, typically used to make clogs as in this movie's plot.<ref>[http://www.officinadellambiente.com/it/articolo.php?idl1=0&idl2=0&id=3320 PRESSO LA RIVA: L'ONTANO] (''tr. AT THE SHORE: THE ALDER''), December 2015 ''www.officinadellambiente.com'', accessed 17 November 2020</ref><ref>[http://uomoenatura.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Ontano-nero.pdf Ontano nero] (''tr. Black Alder'') accessed 17 November 2020 ''uomoenatura.it''</ref> | ||
{{Clear}} | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
| Line 228: | Line 256: | ||
== Further reading == | == Further reading == | ||
{{Refbegin}} | {{Refbegin}} | ||
*{{ | * {{Cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=Zhiduan |last2=Li |first2=Jianhua |date=March 2004 |title=Phylogenetics and Biogeography of ''Alnus'' (Betulaceae) Inferred from Sequences of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA ITS Region |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/382795 |journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences |volume=165 |issue=2 |pages=325–335 |doi=10.1086/382795 |bibcode=2004IJPlS.165..325C |s2cid=85579093|url-access=subscription }} | ||
{{Refend}} | {{Refend}} | ||
| Line 246: | Line 274: | ||
[[Category:Alnus| ]] | [[Category:Alnus| ]] | ||
[[Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller]] | [[Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller]] | ||
[[Category:Extant Thanetian first appearances]] | |||
Latest revision as of 11:17, 2 March 2026
| Alder Temporal range: Paleocene–Recent
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Common alder (Alnus glutinosa) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| : | [[Template:Taxonomy/Alnus]] Mill. |
| Type species | |
| Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.
| |
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Genus synonyms
| |
.jpg)
Alders are trees of the genus Alnus in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species[2] of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species extending into Central America, as well as the northern and southern Andes.[1]
Description[edit | edit source]
With a few exceptions, alders are deciduous, and the leaves are alternate, simple, and serrated. The flowers are catkins with elongate male catkins on the same plant as shorter female catkins, often before leaves appear; they are mainly wind-pollinated, but also visited by bees to a small extent. These trees differ from the birches (Betula, another genus in the family) in that the female catkins are woody and do not disintegrate at maturity, opening to release the seeds in a similar manner to many conifer cones.
The largest species are red alder (A. rubra) on the west coast of North America, and black alder (A. glutinosa), native to most of Europe and widely introduced elsewhere, both reaching over 30 metres (100 ft). By contrast, the widespread Alnus alnobetula (green alder) is rarely more than a 5 m-tall (16 ft) shrub.
Phylogeny[edit | edit source]
Classification[edit | edit source]
A young bull moose browsing on Alnus in Homer, Alaska in 2010
The same spot from the same angle in 2021, the plants are now about 3.7–4.6 metres (12–15 ft) in height
The genus is divided into three subgenera:
Subgenus Alnus[edit | edit source]
Trees with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) but stay closed over winter, pollinating in late winter or early spring, about 15–25 species, including:
- Alnus acuminata Kunth
- subsp. acuminata Kunth
- subsp. arguta (Schltdl.) Furlow
- subsp. glabrata (Fernald) Furlow
- Alnus cordata (Loisel.) Duby
- Alnus cremastogyne Burkill
- Alnus firma Siebold & Zucc.
- Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.
- subsp. barbata (C.A.Mey.) Yalt.
- subsp. glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.
- subsp. incisa (Willd.) Regel
- subsp. laciniata (Willd.) Regel
- Alnus hirsuta (Spach) Rupr.
- Alnus incana (L.) Moench
- subsp. incana (L.) Moench
- subsp. kolaensis (Orlova) Á.Löve & D.Löve
- subsp. rugosa (Du Roi) R.T.Clausen
- subsp. tenuifolia (Nutt.) Breitung
- Alnus japonica (Thunb.) Steud.
- Alnus jorullensis Kunth
- subsp. lutea Furlow
- subsp. jorullensis Kunth
- Alnus lusitanica Vít, Douda, & Mandák[3]
- Alnus matsumurae Callier
- Alnus nepalensis D.Don
- Alnus oblongifolia Torr.
- Alnus orientalis Decne.
- Alnus rhombifolia Nutt.
- Alnus rohlenae Vít, Douda, & Mandák[3]
- Alnus rubra Bong.
- Alnus serrulata (Aiton) Willd.
- Alnus subcordata C.A.Mey.
- Alnus tenuifolia Nutt.
- Alnus trabeculosa Hand.-Mazz.
Subgenus Clethropsis[edit | edit source]
Trees or shrubs with stalked shoot buds, male and female catkins produced in autumn (fall) and expanding and pollinating then, three species:
- Alnus formosana (Burkill) Makino
- Alnus maritima (Marshall) Muhl. ex Nutt.
- Alnus nitida (Spach) Endl.
Subgenus Alnobetula[edit | edit source]
Shrubs with shoot buds not stalked, male and female catkins produced in late spring (after leaves appear) and expanding and pollinating then, one to four species:
- Alnus alnobetula (Ehrh.) K.Koch (synonym-Alnus viridis)
- subsp. alnobetula (Ehrh.) K.Koch
- subsp. crispa (Aiton) Raus
- subsp. fruticosa (Rupr.) Raus
- subsp. sinuata (Regel) Raus
- subsp. suaveolens (Req.) Lambinon & Kerguélen
- Alnus firma Siebold & Zucc.
- Alnus mandshurica (Callier) Hand.-Mazz.
- Alnus maximowiczii Callier
- Alnus pendula Matsum.
- Alnus sieboldiana Matsum.
Not assigned to a subgenus[edit | edit source]
- Alnus fauriei H.Lév. & Vaniot
- Alnus ferdinandi-coburgii C.K.Schneid.
- Alnus glutipes (Jarm. ex Czerpek) Vorosch.
- Alnus hakkodensis Hayashi
- Alnus henryi C.K.Schneid.
- Alnus lanata Duthie ex Bean
- Alnus mairei H.Lév.
- Alnus paniculata Nakai
- Alnus serrulatoides Callier
- Alnus vermicularis Nakai
Species names with uncertain taxonomic status[edit | edit source]
The status of the following species is unresolved:[citation needed]
- Alnus balatonialis Borbás
- Alnus cuneata Geyer ex Walp.
- Alnus dimitrovii Jordanov & Kitanov
- Alnus djavanshirii H.Zare – Iran
- Alnus dolichocarpa H.Zare, Amini & Assadi – Iran
- Alnus figerti Callier
- Alnus frangula L. ex Huth
- Alnus gigantea Nakai
- Alnus glandulosa Sarg.
- Alnus henedae Sugim.
- Alnus hybrida Rchb.
- Alnus laciniata Ehrh.
- Alnus lobata Nyman
- Alnus microphylla Arv.-Touv.
- Alnus obtusifolia Mert. ex Regel
- Alnus oxyacantha Lavalle
- Alnus subrotunda Desf.
- Alnus vilmoriana Lebas
- Alnus washingtonia Wetzel
Hybrids[edit | edit source]
The following hybrids have been described:[4][5]
- Alnus × elliptica Req. (A. cordata × A. glutinosa)
- Alnus × fallacina Callier (A. incana subsp. rugosa × A. serrulata)
- Alnus × hanedae Suyinata (A. firma × A. sieboldiana)
- Alnus × hosoii Mizush. (A. maximowiczii × A. pendula)
- Alnus × mayrii Callier (A. hirsuta × A. japonica)
- Alnus × peculiaris Hiyama (A. firma × A. pendula)
- Alnus × pubescens Tausch. (A. glutinosa × A. incana)
- Alnus × suginoi Sugim.
The status of the following hybrids is unresolved:[4]
- Alnus × aschersoniana Callier
- Alnus × koehnei Callier
- Alnus × ljungeri Murai
- Alnus × purpusii Callier
- Alnus × silesiaca Fiek
- Alnus × spaethii Callier (A. japonica × A. subcordata)
Fossil record[edit | edit source]
The oldest fossil pollen that can be identified as Alnus is from northern Bohemia, dating to the late Paleocene, around 58 million years ago.[6]
- †Alnus fairi (Knowlton) Wolfe, 1966 - Miocene; Western North America[7]
- †Alnus heterodonta (Newberry) Meyer & Manchester 1987 – Oligocene; Fossil, Oregon
- †Alnus hollandiana Jennings, 1920 - Miocene; Western North America[8]
- †Alnus largei (Knowlton) Wolfe, 1966 - Miocene; Western North America[7]
- †Alnus parvifolia (Berry) Wolfe & Wehr, 1987 - Ypresian; Okanagan Highlands[9]
- †Alnus relatus (Knowlton) Brown, 1937 - Miocene; Western North America[7]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The common name alder evolved from the Old English word alor, which in turn is derived from Proto-Germanic root aliso.[10] The generic name Alnus is the equivalent Latin name, from whence French aulne and Spanish Alamo (Spanish term for "poplar").[10]
Ecology[edit | edit source]
Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands. Sometimes where the prevalence of alders is particularly prominent these are called alder carrs. In the Pacific Northwest of North America, the white alder (Alnus rhombifolia) unlike other northwest alders, has an affinity for warm, dry climates, where it grows along watercourses, such as along the lower Columbia River east of the Cascades and the Snake River, including Hells Canyon.
Alder leaves and sometimes catkins are used as food by numerous butterflies and moths.
A. glutinosa and A. viridis are classed as environmental weeds in New Zealand.[11] Alder leaves and especially the roots are important to the ecosystem because they enrich the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients.
Nitrogen fixation and succession of woodland species[edit | edit source]
Alder is particularly noted for its important symbiotic relationship with Frankia alni, an actinomycete, filamentous, nitrogen-fixing bacterium. This bacterium is found in root nodules, which may be as large as a human fist, with many small lobes, and light brown in colour. The bacterium absorbs nitrogen from the air and makes it available to the tree. Alder, in turn, provides the bacterium with sugars, which it produces through photosynthesis. As a result of this mutually beneficial relationship, alder improves the fertility of the soil where it grows, and as a pioneer species, it helps provide additional nitrogen for the successional species to follow.
Because of its abundance, red alder delivers large amounts of nitrogen to enrich forest soils. Red alder stands have been found to supply between 130 and 320 kilograms per hectare (120 and 290 pounds per acre) of nitrogen annually to the soil. From Alaska to Oregon, Alnus viridis subsp. sinuata (A. sinuata, Sitka alder or slide alder), characteristically pioneer fresh, gravelly sites at the foot of retreating glaciers. Studies show that Sitka alder, a more shrubby variety of alder, adds nitrogen to the soil at an average rate of 60 kg/ha (54 lb/acre) per year, helping convert the sterile glacial terrain to soil capable of supporting a conifer forest. Alders are common among the first species to colonize disturbed areas from floods, windstorms, fires, landslides, etc. Alder groves often serve as natural firebreaks since these broad-leaved trees are much less flammable than conifers. Their foliage and leaf litter does not carry a fire well, and their thin bark is sufficiently resistant to protect them from light surface fires. In addition, the light weight of alder seeds – numbering 1.5 million per kilogram or 680,000 per pound – allows for easy dispersal by the wind. Although it outgrows coastal Douglas-fir for the first 25 years, it is very shade intolerant and seldom lives more than 100 years. Red alder is the Pacific Northwest's largest alder and the most plentiful and commercially important broad-leaved tree in the coastal Northwest. Groves of red alder 25 to 50 centimetres (10 to 20 in) in diameter intermingle with young Douglas-fir forests west of the Cascades, attaining a maximum height of 30 to 33 m (100 to 110 ft) in about sixty years, and then are afflicted by heart rot. Alders largely help create conditions favorable for giant conifers that replace them.[2]
- Alder root nodules
-
Whole root nodule -
Sectioned root nodules
Parasites[edit | edit source]
Alder roots are parasitized by northern groundcone.
Uses[edit | edit source]
The catkins of some alder species have a degree of edibility,[12] and may be rich in protein. Reported to have a bitter and unpleasant taste, they are more useful for survival purposes. The wood of certain alder species is often used to smoke various food items such as coffee, salmon, and other seafood.
Alder is notably stable when immersed, and has been used for millennia as a material for pilings for piers and wharves. Most of the pilings that form the foundation of Venice were made from alder trees.[13]
Alder bark contains the anti-inflammatory salicin, which is metabolized into salicylic acid in the body.[14] Some Native American cultures use red alder bark (Alnus rubra) to treat poison oak, insect bites, and skin irritations. Blackfeet Indians have traditionally used an infusion made from the bark of red alder to treat lymphatic disorders and tuberculosis. Recent clinical studies have verified that red alder contains betulin and lupeol, compounds shown to be effective against a variety of tumors.[15]
The inner bark of the alder, as well as red osier dogwood, or chokecherry, is used by some Indigenous peoples of the Americas in smoking mixtures, known as kinnikinnick, to improve the taste of the bearberry leaf.[16]
Alder is illustrated in the coat of arms for the Austrian town of Grossarl.
Electric guitars, most notably those manufactured by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, have been built with alder bodies since the 1950s. Alder is appreciated for its tone that is claimed to be tight and evenly balanced, especially when compared to mahogany, and has been adopted by many electric guitar manufacturers. It usually is finished in opaque lacquer (nitrocellulose, polyurethane, or polyester), as it does not have a prominent grain.
As a hardwood, alder is used in making furniture, cabinets, and other woodworking products. In these applications, its aforementioned lack of prominent grain means that it is often veneered, either by stained light woods such as oak, ash, or figured maple, or by darker woods such as teak or walnut.
Alder bark and wood (like oak and sweet chestnut) contain tannin and are traditionally used to tan leather.
A red dye can also be extracted from the outer bark, and a yellow dye from the inner bark.[17]
Culture[edit | edit source]
Ermanno Olmi's movie The Tree of Wooden Clogs (L' Albero Degli Zoccoli, 1978) refers in its title to alder, typically used to make clogs as in this movie's plot.[18][19]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arno, Stephen F.; Hammerly, Ramona P. (2020) [1977]. Northwest Trees: Identifying & Understanding the Region's Native Trees (field guide ed.). Seattle: Mountaineers Books. pp. 208–215. ISBN 978-1-68051-329-5. OCLC 1141235469.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vít, Petr; Douda, Jan; Krak, Karol; Havrdová, Alena; Mandák, Bohumil (2017). "Two new polyploid species closely related to Alnus glutinosa in Europe and North Africa – an analysis based on morphometry, karyology, flow cytometry and microsatellites". Taxon. 66 (3): 567–583. Bibcode:2017Taxon..66..567V. doi:10.12705/663.4. hdl:11104/0278345.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The Plant List entry for Alnus". The Plant List, v.1.1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. September 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ↑ Govaerts R. "Alnus Mill". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ↑ Yang, Xiao-Yue; Wang, Ze-Fu; Luo, Wen-Chun; Guo, Xin-Yi; Zhang, Cai-Hua; Liu, Jian-Quan; Ren, Guang-Peng (September 2019). "Plastomes of Betulaceae and phylogenetic implications". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 57 (5): 508–518. Bibcode:2019JSyEv..57..508Y. doi:10.1111/jse.12479. ISSN 1674-4918. S2CID 91509152.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Wolfe, J.A. (1966). Tertiary plants from the Cook Inlet region, Alaska (Report). Professional Paper. Vol. 398B. United States Geological Survey. pp. 1–32. doi:10.3133/pp398B.
- ↑ Chaney, R.; Axelrod, D. (1959). Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau: Part II. Systematic Considerations, by Ralph W. Chaney and Daniel I. Axelrod. Carnegie Institution of Washington. pp. 1–226.Template:HathiTrust Catalog
- ↑ Wolfe, J. A.; Wehr, W. C. (1987). Middle Eocene dicotyledonous plants from Republic, northeastern Washington (Report). Bulletin. Vol. 1597. United States Geological Survey. pp. 1–25. doi:10.3133/b1597.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Harper, Douglas. "alder | Etymology, origin and meaning of alder by etymonline". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
- ↑ Clayson, Howell (May 2008). Consolidated list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. Wellington: Department of Conservation. ISBN 978-0-478-14412-3.
- ↑ "Plant Search Result, see e.g. Alnus rubra". pfaf.org. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ Nakasako, Eric (11 August 2008). "A Look at Venice: Past and Present". Illumin. University of Southern California. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ↑ Ewing, Susan (2012). The Great Alaska Nature Factbook: A Guide to the State's Remarkable Animals, Plants, and Natural Features (2nd ed.). Graphic Arts Books. pp. 106, 142. ISBN 978-0-88240-868-2.
- ↑ Tilford, Gregory L. (1997). Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press. ISBN 0-87842-359-1.
- ↑ Staff (2009). "Bearberry". Discovering Lewis and Clark. The Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ↑ "Native Plant Dyes". United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
- ↑ PRESSO LA RIVA: L'ONTANO (tr. AT THE SHORE: THE ALDER), December 2015 www.officinadellambiente.com, accessed 17 November 2020
- ↑ Ontano nero (tr. Black Alder) accessed 17 November 2020 uomoenatura.it
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Chen, Zhiduan; Li, Jianhua (March 2004). "Phylogenetics and Biogeography of Alnus (Betulaceae) Inferred from Sequences of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA ITS Region". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 165 (2): 325–335. Bibcode:2004IJPlS.165..325C. doi:10.1086/382795. S2CID 85579093.