Seaside alder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seaside alder |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Leaves and catkins | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Alnus
|
| Species: |
maritima
|
 |
|
| Natural range of Alnus maritima | |
The seaside alder (scientific name: Alnus maritima), also known as the brook alder, is a type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Betulaceae family, which also includes birch trees. This special plant is found only in the United States.
You can find the seaside alder growing naturally in three separate areas. These areas are in Oklahoma, Georgia, and in Maryland and Delaware on the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Amazing Seaside Alder
The seaside alder is quite unique among alders in North America. Most alders in North America bloom in the spring. However, the seaside alder blooms in the autumn! This makes it stand out from its relatives.
This autumn-blooming habit is something it shares with two other alder species: Alnus nitida and Alnus nepalensis. These two species grow far away in southeast Asia. Because they all bloom in the fall, scientists have grouped these three alders together in a special subgenus called Clethropsis.
How Scientists Study Alders
In 2002, scientists looked closely at the three groups of seaside alders. They decided to call them different subspecies. These were named Alnus maritima subsp. oklahomensis (for Oklahoma), Alnus maritima subsp. georgiensis (for Georgia), and Alnus maritima subsp. maritima (for the Maryland/Delaware group).
At first, some thought the Maryland/Delaware group was the oldest. They believed the other two groups spread from there over a long time. But later studies, which looked at the plants' shapes and their genetic history, showed something different. These studies suggested that the Oklahoma group (subsp. oklahomensis) might actually be the oldest. This means the seaside alder probably grew across a much larger area of the United States in the past.
