Amelanchier laevis
Amelanchier alnifolia
Allegheny serviceberry, amélanchier glabre, smooth serviceberry, smooth shadbush
alder-leaf shadbush, amélanchier à feuilles d'aulne, saskatoon, saskatoon berry, saskatoon serviceberry, service berry, western serviceberry
less than half-unfolded;
petiole (7–)15–26(–36) mm;
blade elliptic to ovate to oblong or obovate, (32–)48–75(–100) × (19–)29–42(–60) mm, base subcordate to rounded, each margin with (0–)10–23(–38) teeth on proximal 1/2 and (1–)5–9(–13) teeth in distalmost cm, largest teeth less than 1 mm, apex acute to acuminate, abaxial surface glabrous (or sparsely hairy) by flowering, surfaces glabrous later.
mostly unfolded;
petiole (3–)6.8–19.1(–28) mm;
blade usually elliptic to oval to suborbiculate, sometimes quadrangular, (14–)24–47(–67) × (7–)17–36(–55) mm, base usually subcordate to truncate, sometimes ± tapering or ± cuneate, each margin with 0–3(–9) teeth on proximal 1/2 and (0–)3–5(–8) teeth in distalmost cm, largest teeth more than 1 mm, apex rounded to truncate or occasionally acute or mucronate, abaxial surface sparsely to densely hairy (or glabrous) by flowering, sparsely to moderately hairy (or glabrous) later, adaxial glabrous or sparsely (moderately) hairy later.
(4–)7–11(–14)-flowered, (25–)43–65(–85) mm.
(4–)6–11(–16)-flowered, (8–)14–43(–62) mm.
0 or 1(or 2) subtended by a leaf, proximalmost (7–)15–28(–41) mm.
(0 or)1 or 2(or 3) subtended by a leaf, proximalmost (2–)3–20(–29) mm.
sepals spreading to recurved after flowering, (1.9–)2.8–4(–5.3) mm;
petals linear-oblong, (8–)12.5–17.3(–22.5) × (2.9–)3.9–5.7(–7.5) mm;
stamens (14–)19–21(–24);
styles (4 or)5(or 6), (2.5–)3.3–4.4(–5.3) mm;
ovary apex glabrous (or sparsely hairy).
sepals erect to recurved after flowering, (1.4–)2.2–4(–4.9) mm;
petals oblanceolate to oval or obovate to elliptic, (5.7–)9.5–14(–18.8) × (2.2–)3.3–5.2(–6.6) mm;
stamens (10–)15–21(–22);
styles (3 or)4 or 5(or 6), (1.3–)2–2.9(–3.9) mm;
ovary apex moderately to densely hairy (or glabrous).
dark purple, 8–15 mm diam. 2n = 2x, 4x.
black or purple, 8–15 mm diam.
Amelanchier laevis
Amelanchier alnifolia
Amelanchier laevis is common through much of its range and readily identified by its typically arborescent habit, leaves that are reddish and glabrous by flowering, and relatively long inflorescences, pedicels, and petals. Southeastern United States populations tend to be restricted to high elevations. The relationship to its closest relative, A. arborea, is discussed under the latter.
Amelanchier laevis frequently hybridizes with congeners, including A. arborea, A. bartramiana, A. canadensis, A. humilis, A. interior, A. sanguinea, and A. spicata (M. L. Fernald 1950; L. Cinq-Mars 1971). J. E. Cruise (1964) documented hybrid swarms between A. laevis and both A. arborea and A. canadensis in New Jersey. The hybrid with A. bartramiana can usually be found when these two species grow together (J. E. Weber and C. S. Campbell 1989). The hybrid with A. arborea, A. ×grandiflora Rehder, is used ornamentally.
A. C. Dibble et al. (1998) concluded that Amelanchier laevis is possibly one of the parents of A. "rubra,” an entity that is morphologically distinct. This entity is a tetraploid shrub with stems to 3.5 m and usually colonial, leaves that are reddish and glabrous at flowering, and petals that are often faintly reddish and slightly twisted. Ovary apices are mostly sparsely hairy, but may also be densely hairy or glabrous. Quantitative analysis places A. “rubra” between the cluster of A. laevis plus A. intermedia on the one hand and A. nantucketensis or A. spicata on the other (Dibble et al.). It is possible that this entity could be a hybrid with one of these arborescent species (A. laevis and A. intermedia) plus one of the shrub species (A. nantucketensis and A. spicata). The authors have located populations of A. “rubra” on Mount Desert Island and eastward for about 120 km along the Maine coast. The authors have observed plants that appear to be F1s of this entity and later-generation hybrids with A. bartramiana as one of the parents.
Amelanchier laevis has been documented to be self-compatible and to produce seeds asexually (C. S. Campbell et al. 1985; A. C. Dibble et al. 1998).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
Amelanchier alnifolia is widespread and polymorphic, and its taxonomic and geographic limits have been viewed differently. L. Cinq-Mars (1971) considered this species to range eastward to the Gaspé Peninsula. Disagreements about the boundary between A. alnifolia and A. humilis are evident in herbarium specimen annotations. The distinctness of the varieties of A. alnifolia has also been questioned. G. N. Jones (1946) treated the three varieties recognized here as distinct species and noted that the leaves of var. alnifolia and var. semiintegrifolia (A. florida) are virtually indistinguishable, and, although petal lengths of the two do not overlap, occasional larger-flowered var. alnifolia and occasional smaller-flowered var. semiintegrifolia occur, so the petal length distinction is not an absolute one. Geographically these two varieties are largely separate, with var. alnifolia occurring in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains and var. semiintegrifolia on the Pacific slopes of mountains from Alaska to northern California.
Amelanchier alnifolia is thought to hybridize with Sorbus scopulina (x\Amelasorbus jackii Rehder).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Ovary apices glabrous (or sparsely hairy); shrubs 1–2(–4) m. | var. pumila |
1. Ovary apices moderately to densely hairy (or glabrous); shrubs or trees, 1–12 m | → 2 |
2. Inflorescences (8–)26–43(–62) mm; proximalmost pedicels (5–)8–16(–29) mm. | var. alnifolia |
2. Inflorescences (8–)14–26(–35) mm; proximalmost pedicels (2 or)3–8(–13) mm. | var. semiintegrifolia |
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