Frangula alnus Mill.

Species: Frangula alnus Mill., Genus: Frangula, Family: Rhamnaceae, Group: Angiosperms

(Frangula alnus Mill.)

-> Genus: Frangula -> Family: Rhamnaceae -> Group: Angiosperms

Habitus

it is a shrub up to 5 - 6 m, crown irregular, sparsely branched
bark is purplish-grey with numerous convex whitish lenticels
bork is dark grey, only shallowly longitudinally fissured

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - on peat bog

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - purplish-grey bark with numerous raised whitish lenticels

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - Klinské peat bog, Orava

Buds

buds are spirally arranged, ovate-acuminate, sessile, naked (without integumentary scales), densely rusty-hairy, 3 - 6 mm in size

Shoots

shoots are purple-brown, young rusty-hairy, later glabrous
lenticels are linear, whitish

Leaves (assimilation organs)

the leaves are simple, obovate to broadly elliptic, 3 - 7 x 2 - 4 cm large
they are shortly acuminate, entire margin with 7 - 10 pairs of second-order veins
the upper side is dark green, matte
the lower side is lighter, rusty hairy on the veins
the petiole is 15 - 20 mm long

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - underside

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - top side

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - twig with leaves, upper side

Flowers

the tree is monoecious, the flowers are bisexual, five-petaled, whitish with a pinkish margin
they bloom from May to August !
they are grouped in small clusters of 2 - 10 in the leaf axils

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - fruits gradually ripen at the same time as flowering

Fruits – seeds

the fruit is a 5 - 8 mm large spherical drupe, dark purple to blackish when ripe, shiny
it contains 1 - 3 seeds
it ripens continuously in VIII – X

Extension

it is originally widespread throughout Europe to Siberia
in Slovakia it occurs almost throughout the entire territory, from the lowest positions to approximately 800 (1,030) m above the sea level
most often it grows in alder forests in sites with fluctuating groundwater levels
it is common in pine and birch groves on acidic substrates
it also grows on peat bogs (Rojkov peat bog)

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - habitat of occurrence in the Rojkov bog

Ecology

it is a partially shaded tree, it tolerates stagnant groundwater and extreme temperature fluctuations

Significance

it stands out for its considerable root and stump regeneration
in some places it spontaneously occupies logging areas, making it an "unpleasant woody weed"
the bark is used to produce dyes and medicines and also as an effective laxative (but the bark must not be used fresh)
the fruits have a similar effect to the bark, but 12 times stronger!

From history

Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) - Unsere Waldbäume, Sträucher und Zwergholzgewächse. Heidelberg, Carl Winter`s Universitätsbuchhandlung

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