| Peraphyllum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Subfamily: | Amygdaloideae |
| Tribe: | Maleae |
| Subtribe: | Malinae |
| Genus: | Peraphyllum |
| Species: | P. ramosissimum |
| Binomial name | |
| Peraphyllum ramosissimum Nutt. |
|
Peraphyllum is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the rose family containing the single species Peraphyllum ramosissimum, commonly known as the squaw apple or wild crab apple. It is a shrub which may reach 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height and bears small pomes about 1 centimetre (0.39 in) wide. Peraphyllum is most closely related to Amelanchier, Malacomeles, Crataegus, and Mespilus.[1]
Peraphyllum ramosissimum grows in California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico usually in pine and juniper woodlands. In California it can be found in the High Cascades, High Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin. Translated from the Greek, the genus Peraphyllum means "very leafy" and the species name ramosissimum means "many branches".
Like most other flowering plants of the Rosaceae, P. ramosissimum has 5 petals and 5 sepals with radial symmetry. The flowers have about 15-20 free stamens, the petals are white to rose in color. The leaves are simple; they can grow very close together on short shoots but are well separated on longer shoots.[2]