680103 Chamaepericlymenum unalaschkense (Ledeb.) Rydb.
Distribution
Western Alaska: Scattered
Hudson Bay - Labrador: Rare
Western Greenland: Rare
Shrub Tundra: Rare
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Frequent
- Rydb., Fl. Rocky Mts.: 635 (1917). - Cornus unalaschkensis Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 2, 1: 378 (1844). Described from Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands (Alaska).
2n=
44 (4x). - Far East (N), Alaska, Canada, U.S.A. - Numerous reports.
We assume that all reports of tetraploids (by Löve and Löve 1975a and later sources) belong to this taxon.
Geography: Amphi-Pacific (E) - North American (N): ALA CAN GRL.
Notes: Elven and Murray: Bain and Denford (1979) concluded that Cornus unalaschkensis (Chamaepericlymenum unalaschkense) was the correct name for the tetraploid, based on a study of the size of the stomatal guard cells in material from the type area, the island of Unalaska. As Chamaepericlymenum canadense is continental and as the diploid hybrid has not been reported from the Aleutian Islands, we here rely on the conclusion of these authors. Ledebour (1844) distinguished Cornus unalaschkensis from the two others by the characters we apply today. The reports of chromosome counts of 2n = 44 assigned under the name Cornus canadensis after the publication of Bain and Denford (1979) might indicate that the matter is not fully resolved, or they may have been based on a reliance on the erroneous account of the Löves.
Chamaepericlymenum unalaschkense has, understandably, been much confused with the diploid (primary) hybrid.
Higher Taxa
- Chamaepericlymenum [6801,genus]