Frangula alnus Mill.
(Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesFrangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood)
FamilyRHAMNACEAE (buckthorns)
OrderROSALES (roses, elms, nettles, hops, buckthorns and figs)
SubclassEU-DICOTS (dicotyledonous flowering plants)
ClassMAGNOLIOPSIDA (flowering plants)
PhylumTRACHEOPHYTA (vascular plants)
KingdomPLANTAE (plants)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood) :
1: Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood)
16 Sep 2002 OSGR: SU91 50° 60’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: West Sussex (VC 13) England
Image 1: Leaves and branchImage 2: Leaves and branchesImage 3: TreeImage 4: TreesImage 5: Trees (2)Image 6: BerriesImage 7: Berries - enlargedImage 8: Leaf spray - top surfaceImage 9: Leaf spray - under surfaceImage 10: Leaf spray with berries - top surfaceImage 11: Leaf spray with berries - under surfaceImage 12: Leaf - top surfaceImage 13: Leaf - top surface - detail - magnifiedImage 14: Leaf - under surfaceImage 15: Leaf - under surface - detail - magnifiedImage 16: Leaves - top surface

Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 22 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn, Black Dogwood)

Beware Amelanchier lamarckii (Juneberry) which can be naturalised in the same habitat in southern England.

Flowers and fruits of Buckthorns are axillary, forming a characteristic cluster a little way back from the tip of the branch whereas Juneberry has loose terminal raceme.

Vegetative specimens can be distinguished by the short petioles (less than 1cm) of Alder Buckthorn compared to the longer ones (up to 2cm) of Juneberry. Furthermore, the leaf edge is completely smooth in Alder Buckthorn whereas it is denticulate in Juneberry.

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