Fragaria cascadensis

Fragaria cascadensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Fragaria
Species: F. cascadensis
Binomial name
Fragaria cascadensis
K.E.Hummer

Fragaria cascadensis (Cascades strawberry) is a species of strawberry (Fragaria), found in the Cascades Mountains classified in 2012.

Description

It is a perennial, with the typical white flowers of its genus. It differs from other strawberry species by having hairs on the upper side of its leaves,as opposed to the underside or not present at all and a different middle leaflet. It begins growing after snow melt ( May or early June in that region), flowers are born around early July and fruit ripens during August for about 2 weeks.[1] The fruits are about 1 cm wide, with soft flesh and a white interior.[2]

Distribution

The strawberry is in the Oregon Cascades Mountains from the Columbia River to Crater Lake, at elevations of about 3,000 feet up to tree line. It grows in sandy-clay loam soil of volcanic origin located in forest clearings and open alpine meadows.[1]

Cultivation

This species is not yet in cultivation.[2]

Commercial value

Although this species is a decaploid, unlike the octoploid common strawberry, it can be hybridized with Fragaria iturupensis, Fragaria × vescana,[1] Fragaria × Comarum hybrids or Fragaria × bringhurstii (although with chromosome doubling) should produce fertile offspring, which may reveal new flavors or genetic disease resistance.[1]

Ploidy

This species is a decaploid. See Fragaria.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Durham, Sharon. "New Strawberry Species Found in Oregon". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Diep, Francie (December 7, 2013). "New Wild Strawberry Species Discovered". Popular Science. Retrieved December 12, 2013.