Alnus viridis A.Gray 1848, illegitimate homonym, not (Chaix) DC. 1805
Alnus fruticosa Rupr.
Alnaster fruticosus (Rupr.) Ledeb.
Duschekia fruticosa (Rupr.) Pouzar
Alnus pumila Nois. ex Corrie
Alnus orbiculata Lopylaie ex Spach
Alnus tristis Wormsk. ex Regel
Alnus alpina Vill.
Betula viridis Chaix in D.Villars
Betula ovata Schrank
Betula alpina Borkh. ex Theorin
Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC.
Alnus ovata (Schrank) G.Lodd.
Alnaster viridis (Chaix) Spach
Semidopsis viridis (Chaix) Zumagl.
Duschekia ovata (Schrank) Opiz
Duschekia viridis (Chaix) Opiz
Alnus brembana Rota
Alnus corylifolia A.Kern. ex Dalla Torre
Betula crispa Aiton
Alnus crispa (Aiton) Pursh
Alnaster crispus (Aiton) Czerep.
Duschekia crispa (Aiton) Pouzar
Alnus undulata Willd.
Betula alnus-crispa Steud.
Alnus mitchelliana M.A.Curtis ex A.Gray
Alnus repens Wormsk. ex Hornem.
Alnus mollis Fernald
Alnus viridis var. sinuata Regel
Alnus sinuata (Regel) Rydb.
Duschekia sinuata (Regel) Pouzar
Alnaster sinuatus (Regel) Czerep.
Betula tristis Wormsk. ex Link
Alnus sitchensis (Regel) Sarg
Alnus kamschatica (Regel) Kudô ex Masam
Duschekia kamtschatica (Callier) Pouzar
Alnaster kamtschaticus (Callier) Czerep.
Alnus suaveolens Req.
Alnus alnobetula is a common tree widespread across much of
Europe,
Asia, and
North America.[2] Many sources refer to it as Alnus viridis, the green alder, but botanically this is considered an
illegitimate name synonymous with Alnus alnobetula subsp. fruticosa.[3]
Description
It is a large
shrub or small
tree 3–12 metres (10–39+1⁄2 ft) tall with smooth grey bark even in old age. The
leaves are shiny green with light green undersurfaces, ovoid, 3–8 centimetres (1+1⁄4–3+1⁄4 in) long and 2–6 cm broad. The
flowers are
catkins, appearing late in spring after the leaves emerge (unlike other alders which flower before leafing out); the male catkins are pendulous, 4–8 cm long, the female catkins 1 cm long and 0.7 cm broad when mature in late autumn, in clusters of 3–10 on a branched stem.[4] The
seeds are small, 1–2 millimetres (1⁄32–3⁄32 in) long, light brown with a narrow encircling wing.
Alnus viridis subsp. sinuata (A. sinuata, Sitka alder or slide alder) – western North America, far northeastern Siberia
Alnus viridis is classed as an environmental weed in
New Zealand.[8]
Ecology
Alnus viridis has a shallow root system, and is marked not only by vigorous production of stump suckers, but also by root suckers.
Alnus viridis is a light-demanding, fast-growing shrub that grows well on poorer soils. In many areas, it is a highly characteristic colonist of
avalanche chutes in
mountains, where potentially competing larger trees are killed by regular avalanche damage. A. viridis survives the avalanches through its ability to re-grow from the roots and broken stumps. Unlike some other alders, it does require moist soil, and is a colonist of
screes and shallow stony slopes. It also commonly grows on subarctic river gravels, particularly in northern
Siberia,
Alaska and
Canada, occupying areas similarly disrupted by ice floes during spring river ice breakup; in this habitat it commonly occurs mixed with shrubby
willows.
Uses
It is sometimes used for
afforestation on infertile soils which it enriches by means of its nitrogen-fixing nodules, while not growing large enough to compete with the intended timber crop. A. sinuata can add 20 kg of nitrogen per acre (50kg/hectare) per year to the soil.[9]Alnus viridis leaves have been used in the traditional Austrian medicine externally or internally as tea for treatment of infections and fever.[10]
^Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS: 1-216203. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.