Frangula rubra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frangula rubra |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Frangula
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| Species: |
rubra
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| Synonyms | |
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Rhamnus rubra Greene |
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Frangula rubra is a type of flowering plant. It is also known as the red buckthorn or Sierra coffeeberry. This plant belongs to the buckthorn family. It used to be called Rhamnus rubra.
Where Red Buckthorn Grows
This plant naturally grows in the mountains and high flat areas. You can find it in northern and eastern California. It also grows in western Nevada.
Some of the places it lives include the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains. It can grow in many different environments. These include forests, chaparral (a type of shrubland), and areas with sagebrush.
What Red Buckthorn Looks Like
Frangula rubra is a shrub that spreads out. It can grow up to two meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. Its bark can be red or gray.
The leaves are thin and fall off each year (they are deciduous). They are usually oval shaped. The leaves are green to grayish and can be up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. Their edges are smooth or have small, faint teeth.
The plant's flowers grow in a cluster called an umbel. Each cluster can have up to 15 flowers. Each flower has five pointed parts called sepals. These open up like a star. There are also five smaller, greenish petals.
The fruit is a type of berry called a drupe. It turns black when it is ripe. Each fruit is a little over a centimeter long. Inside, you will find two seeds.
