Cascara Cascara

Rhamnus purshiana de Candolle in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 25. 1825 (as purshianus)

Shrubs or trees, 1–12 m. Stems red to brown, gray, or green, glabrous or densely hairy. Leaves deciduous or semideciduous, alternate; petiole 6–23 mm; blade usually pale green abaxially, green to bluish or greenish gray adaxially, not glaucous or glaucous when fresh, elliptic to oblong or oblong-obovate, (3.5–)5–15 cm, herbaceous or distinctly coriaceous, base rounded to subcordate, obtuse, or cuneate, margins entire, irregularly toothed, or serrulate, apex obtuse or truncate, both surfaces glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy, or adaxial velvety; secondary veins 9–11 pairs. Inflorescences umbels, pedunculate, 10–25-flowered. Pedicels 5–15 mm. Stigmas 2–3-lobed. Drupes black, globose to depressed-globose, 5–10 mm; stones 3.

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora): w North America.

Lower Taxa

• Frangula purshiana subsp. anonifolia (Greene) J. O. Sawyer & S. W. Edwards
• Frangula purshiana subsp. purshiana
• Frangula purshiana subsp. ultramafica J. O. Sawyer & S. W. Edwards
• Rhamnaceae Jussieu