Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Ocean-spray
Holodiscus discolor
Rose family (Rosaceae)

This is a widespread shrub found in many plant communities, especially those having rock outcrops, cliffs, talus slopes, etc. The plant is much branched with gray, shredded small branches and dark red twigs. Native Americans made digging sticks and arrow shafts from the hard, straight branches; Native Americans of the Great Basin ate the seeds; and pioneers made nails from its wood.


©2009 Walter Siegmund

Description

Shrub to about 5' tall, densely to intricately branched . Main leaves on spur branches, to 1 1/2" long, to 1" wide, to or , hairy to , pale beneath. from 1-6" long, sometimes pink, petals to almost an inch long, white, cream, or pink. a somewhat flattened, hairy .

Field Marks

Medium sized to large shrub in rocky crevices. Long, drooping sprays of many small white flowers.

© Al Schneider

oblanceolate -- top wider than bottom

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.

Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

elliptic -- Oval, with no point or a very short point.

obovate -- Teardrop-shaped, stem attaches to tapering point.

blade -- Just the flat part of a leaf. Not the stem.

glabrous -- smooth, glossy, having no bristles or hair-like structures. Bald.

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem.