Alnus
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AI overview
Alnus is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as alders, which produce distinctive cone-like catkins and are found in forests and wetlands across the Northern Hemisphere and South America. These plants are ecologically important because they form relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that enrich soil, making them valuable for forest ecosystems and land restoration efforts.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Taxonomy · GBIF
GENUS
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderFagales
- FamilyBetulaceae
via GBIF · CC0
Article
19 sectionsContents
- Description
- Phylogeny
- Classification
- Subgenus ''Alnus''
- Subgenus ''Clethropsis''
- Subgenus ''Alnobetula''
- Not assigned to a subgenus
- Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
- Hybrids
- Fossil record
- Etymology
- Ecology
- Nitrogen fixation and succession of woodland species
- Parasites
- Uses
- Culture
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|right|Female alder catkins after shedding their seeds thumb|right|Alnus serrulata male catkins
Alders are trees of the genus Alnus in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species extending into Central America, as well as the northern and southern Andes.