Symphoricarpos oreophilus

Kearney and Peebles 1969, Martin and Hutchins 1980

Common Name: mountain snowberry Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Shrub General: Shrubs, usually less than 4 m tall, bark exfoliating, light brown and glabrous on younger twigs and branches. Leaves: Opposite, simple, oval to obovate, entire, smooth, dark green above, light green beneath, 1-3 cm long, entire to toothed. Flowers: Flowers funnelform, 9-15 mm long, pink to white in color, receptacle base noticeably swollen above the pedicel. Fruits: White, globose berries usually borne in pairs of 2, with 2 nutlets within. Ecology: Found in mountain pine forests from 5,500-9,000 ft (1676-2743 m); flowers May-August. Notes: This species may be difficult to identify without flowers or fruits, it can be gotten to genus by paying attention to the opposite leaves that are often of varying sizes. Ethnobotany: Leaves used as a ceremonial emetic by the Navajo. Etymology: Symphoricarpos comes from the Greek symphorein, borne together and karpos for fruit, while orophilus means mountain lover. Synonyms: None Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011