Pacific Dogwood

Pacific Dogwood
Pacific Dogwood
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Cornus
Subgenus: Benthamidia
Species: C. nuttallii
Binomial name
Cornus nuttallii
Audubon

The Pacific Dogwood, Cornus nuttallii (syn. Benthamidia nuttallii), is a species of dogwood native to western North America from lowlands of southern British Columbia to mountains of southern California. An inland population occurs in central Idaho. Cultivated examples are found as far north as Haida Gwaii. It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 10-25 m tall.

The small flowers are in a dense cluster surrounded by large white bracts

The leaves are opposite, simple oval, 8-12 cm long and 5-8 cm broad. The flowers are individually small and inconspicuous, 2-3 mm across, produced in a dense, rounded, greenish-white flowerhead 2 cm diameter; the 4-8 large white "petals" are actually bracts, each bract 4-7 cm long and broad. The fruit is a compound pink-red berry about 3 cm diameter, containing 50-100 small seeds; it is edible, though not very palatable.

Like the related Flowering Dogwood, it is very susceptible to dogwood anthracnose, a disease caused by the fungus Discula destructiva. This has killed many of the larger plants in the wild and also restricts its use as an ornamental tree.

Cornus nuttallii is named after Thomas Nuttall, an English botanist and zoologist who worked in the America in the nineteenth century.

Some Plateau Indian tribes used the bark as a laxative and to induce vomiting.[1]

Government usage

It is the provincial flower of British Columbia.[2] It was protected by law there (along with Rhododendron macrophyllum and Trillium ovatum in the same act),[3] but the protection was repealed in 2002.[4]

Students who graduated from a BC High School curriculum program are awarded the "Dogwood Diploma" from the Ministry of Education[5] (Officially, British Columbia Certificate of Graduation).

References

  1. ^ Hunn, Eugene S. (1990). Nch'i-Wana, "The Big River": Mid-Columbia Indians and Their Land. University of Washington Press. p. 353. ISBN 0-295-97119-3. 
  2. ^ "Provincial Symbols and Honours Act". Queen's Printer British Columbia. http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/p/96380_01.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-06. 
  3. ^ "Dogwood, Rhododendron and Trillium Protection Act". Queen's Printer British Columbia. Archived from the original on 2001-08-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20020102191524/www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/D/96100_01.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-06. 
  4. ^ "Dogwood, Rhododendron and Trillium Protection Act". Queen's Printer British Columbia. http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/D/96100REP_01.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-06. 
  5. ^ Policy Document: Student Credentials

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pacific dogwood — noun Usage: usually capitalized P : a flowering dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) * * * a dogwood tree, Cornus nuttallii, of western North America, having pointed, petallike white or pinkish bracts and clustered scarlet fruits. Also called mountain… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pacific dogwood — a dogwood tree, Cornus nuttallii, of western North America, having pointed, petallike white or pinkish bracts and clustered scarlet fruits. Also called mountain dogwood. * * * …   Universalium

  • Dogwood — Taxobox name = Dogwood image width = 240px image caption = European Cornel ( Cornus mas ) regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Cornales familia = Cornaceae genus = Cornus subdivision ranks = Subgenera… …   Wikipedia

  • dogwood — /dawg wood , dog /, n. 1. any tree or shrub of the genus Cornus, esp. C. sanguinea, of Europe, or C. florida, of America. 2. the wood of any such tree. 3. a light to medium brown or a medium yellowish brown color. adj. 4. having the color dogwood …   Universalium

  • mountain dogwood. — See Pacific dogwood. * * * …   Universalium

  • western dogwood — noun : pacific dogwood …   Useful english dictionary

  • mountain dogwood. — See Pacific dogwood …   Useful english dictionary

  • large-flowered dogwood — noun : a tall arborescent dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) of upland areas of the Pacific coast having the flower cluster subtended by long white or rosy bracts up to three inches long …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cornus (genus) — This article is about the species of trees and shrubs known as Dogwoods. For other uses, see Dogwood (disambiguation). For other uses, see Cornus (disambiguation). Dogwood European Cornel (Cornus mas) …   Wikipedia

  • List of Canadian plants by family C — Main page: List of Canadian plants by familyFamilies: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I J K | L | M | N | O | P Q | R | S | T | U V W | X Y Z Cabombaceae * Brasenia schreberi watershield Cactaceae * Escobaria vivipara foxtail pincushion cactus *… …   Wikipedia

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