Alnus maritima (Marshall) Nuttall var. formosana Burkill
Alnus japonica (Thunberg) Steudel var. formosana Callier
Alnus formosana, the Formosan alder, is a species of alderendemic to Taiwan. It is a medium-sized tree, up to 20 metres (66ft) in height and 40 centimetres (16in) in trunk diameter.
Description
The formosan alder is a trees up to 20 meters in height with dark gray-brown bark. The petiole is 1.2-2.2cm, slender; leaves elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, rarely ovate-oblong, 6-12 × 2–5cm, hairy in the axils of lateral veins beneath, almost hairless above, rounded or broadly cuneate base, irregularly minutely serrated margin, acuminate or acute apex; lateral veins 6 or 7 on each side of the midrib. It has one female inflorescence, or 2-4 in a cluster, ellipsoid, 1-2.5cm; peduncle 3–5mm.
Form
Bark
Leaves
Distribution and habitat
It is found in Taiwan. It is a common species growing on riverbanks from near sea level to 2,900 metres (9,500ft). It is commonly found in disturbed habitats as a pioneer species.
Ecology
Alnus formosana flowers between May–June, fruiting between July–September.
Uses
This tree is used for soil improvement. It also finds use in gardens and as a windbreak. The tree trunks is also used in paper pulping and cultivating snow fungus and shiitake.
The Atayal people uses A. formosana as a cover crop after clearing a new field, the traditional wisdom being that the soil becomes rich when it is cut cleared again in 10 to 15 years. It is also used in the Pas-ta'ai ritual of the Saisiyat people.
Early Han settlers of Taiwan name some places after the occurrence of the plant, the belief being that its occurrence is linked to ground collapse.
1234Pei-chun Li & Alexei K. Skvortsov. "Alnus formosana". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
Form
Bark
Leaves
