Arbutus
From Freepedia
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| Image:PacificMadroneBlossom.jpg Pacific Madrone blossom | ||||||||||||
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Arbutus is a genus of trees in the family Ericaceae. North American members of the genus are called Madrones. The European species are called Strawberry Trees; the better known of these, the Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo, is sometimes referred to simply as the "Arbutus".
Species currently classified in Arbutus:
- Greek Strawberry Tree, Arbutus andachne, found in south-eastern Europe and western Asia; sometimes called the "manzanita".
- Arizona Madrone, Arbutus arizonica, found in New Mexico, Arizona and northwestern Mexico.
- Canary Madrona, Arbutus canariensis, found on the Canary Islands
- Pacific Madrone, Arbutus menziesii, found on the west coast of North America from southern British Columbia to central California, west of the Sierra Nevada and British Columbia's Coast Range mountains.
- Strawberry Tree, Arbutus unedo, found in southern Europe and south-west Ireland; widely cultivated outside its natural range.
- Texas Madrone, Arbutus xalapensis, found in Texas, Arizona and northeastern Mexico.
The Strawberry Tree and Greek Strawberry Tree hybridise naturally to produce a hybrid form that is classified as Arbutus x andrachnoides.
Arbutus species are used as food plants by some Lepidoptera species including Emperor Moth.
The mayflower Epigaea repens has the common name trailing arbutus; although it is in the same family, it is not classified in genus Arbutus. Some of the Manzanitas, genus Arctostaphylos, and some of the Salals, genus Gaultheria, were formerly classified in Arbutus.
 Arbutus unedo - Corsica |
 Arbutus unedo - leaves and fruit |
 Arbutus unedo - fruit |
