Prunus elaeagrifolia facts for kids

Prunus elaeagrifolia (Persian: ارژن) is a type of wild almond plant. It grows naturally in Iran. This plant can be a shrub or a small tree. It usually reaches about 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) tall.

Its older branches have gray bark that peels off. This peeling shows a brownish-yellow bark underneath. The leaves are covered in soft, yellowish-gray hairs. Prunus elaeagrifolia is mostly found in the southern part of the Zagros Mountains. In some places, it is one of the most common trees. This plant has 16 chromosomes in its cells.

About Its Name

The scientific name of a plant helps scientists around the world understand which plant they are talking about. The name Prunus elaeagrifolia has an interesting story.

How the Name Started

A scientist named Édouard Spach first described this plant in 1843. He called it Amygdalus elaeagrifolia. The second part of the name, elaeagrifolia, comes from a Greek word. It means 'wild olive-leaved'. This suggests its leaves look like those of a wild olive tree.

A Small Mix-Up

Later, some writers thought Spach had made a small mistake in the spelling. They thought he meant to write elaeagnifolia. This name would mean 'with leaves like Elaeagnus'. Elaeagnus is another type of plant. So, they "corrected" the name.

The Name Today

In 1892, another scientist, Karl Fritsch, moved this plant from the Amygdalus group to the Prunus group. He used the "corrected" spelling, Prunus elaeagnifolia.

However, as of As of October 2021^[update], many plant experts and the International Plant Names Index agree. They say the original spelling, Prunus elaeagrifolia, is the correct one. So, even with the mix-up, the name that means 'wild olive-leaved' is still the official one.