Home/Species/ Western Dwarf Dogwood

Cornus unalaschkensis

Ledeb.

Western Dwarf Dogwood

G5Secure Found in 223 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.139123

Element CodePDCOR010F0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderCornales

FamilyCornaceae

GenusCornus

Other Common Names

Alaska Bunchberry (EN) Cornouiller d'Unalaska (FR) western cordilleran bunchberry (EN) Western Cordilleran Bunchberry (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

Kartesz (1994 checklist and 1999 floristic synthesis) treats as a species, following Murrell (Syst. Bot. 19(4): 539-556, 1994), who shows that Cornus unalaskensis is an allotetraploid derived from hybridization between Cornus canadensis and C. suecica. Under this treatment, the name C. unalaschkensis applies only to the tetraploid, which occurs only in western North America, and not to the modern diploid hybrids between these two parental species, found in their areas of overlap in both western North America and easternmost North America. Those plants may lack a formal scientific name.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-05-13

Change Date2016-05-13

Edition Date1996-11-15

Edition AuthorsBeckman, J. (7/96), rev. L. Morse (1996)

Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)

Rank Reasons

A hybrid-derived tetraploid species common in western North America.

Range Extent Comments

Reported by Murrell (1994) from Alaska, western Canada, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest; reports from eastern Canada and Greenland are an unnamed diploid hybrid of C. canadensis and C. suecica instead.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Reported from Engleman spruce-subalpine fir, mountain hemlock and coastal western hemlock communities (Taylor and McBride 1977).

Other Nations (2)

United StatesN4

Province	Rank	Native
Alaska	SNR	Yes
Oregon	SNR	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
Idaho	SNR	Yes
California	S2	Yes

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
Yukon Territory	S3	Yes
Alberta	S1	Yes
British Columbia	S5	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (223)

Alaska (87)

Area	Forest	Acres
Aaron	Tongass National Forest	78,719
Behm Islands	Tongass National Forest	4,777
Bering Lake	Chugach National Forest	965,076
Boston Bar	Chugach National Forest	53,617
Brabazon Addition	Tongass National Forest	498,819
Calder	Tongass National Forest	9,857
Chichagof	Tongass National Forest	555,858
Chilkat-West Lynn Canal	Tongass National Forest	199,772
Chugach-12	Chugach National Forest	8,116
Chugach-13	Chugach National Forest	13,337
Cleveland	Tongass National Forest	189,447
College Fiord	Chugach National Forest	1,130,818
Cone	Tongass National Forest	128,454
Copper River Wetlands	Chugach National Forest	85,972
Dall Island	Tongass National Forest	105,780
Douglas Island	Tongass National Forest	28,065
East Mitkof	Tongass National Forest	8,795
East Wrangell	Tongass National Forest	7,630
El Capitan	Tongass National Forest	26,693
Eudora	Tongass National Forest	195,022
Exit Glacier Donut	Chugach National Forest	126
Fidalgo-Gravina	Chugach National Forest	257,968
Five Mile	Tongass National Forest	19,459
Freshwater Bay	Tongass National Forest	44,933
Game Creek	Tongass National Forest	54,469
Gravina	Tongass National Forest	37,381
Green Rocks	Tongass National Forest	11,093
Harding	Tongass National Forest	174,349
Hoonah Sound	Tongass National Forest	79,764
Hyder	Tongass National Forest	121,723
Johnson Pass	Chugach National Forest	152,508
Juneau Urban	Tongass National Forest	101,581
Juneau-Skagway Icefield	Tongass National Forest	1,187,268
Kadin	Tongass National Forest	2,035
Karta	Tongass National Forest	52,117
Keku	Tongass National Forest	10,869
Kenai Lake	Chugach National Forest	213,172
Kenai Mountains	Chugach National Forest	306,600
Kogish	Tongass National Forest	65,216
Kosciusko	Tongass National Forest	64,134
Lindenberg	Tongass National Forest	25,855
Madan	Tongass National Forest	68,553
Mansfield Peninsula	Tongass National Forest	54,991
Manzanita	Tongass National Forest	8,401
Middle Kruzof	Tongass National Forest	14,724
Nellie Juan	Chugach National Forest	713,697
North Baranof	Tongass National Forest	314,089
North Cleveland	Tongass National Forest	105,288
North Etolin	Tongass National Forest	40,993
North Kruzof	Tongass National Forest	33,146
North Kupreanof	Tongass National Forest	114,660
North Revilla	Tongass National Forest	215,430
North Wrangell	Tongass National Forest	8,091
Pavlof-East Point	Tongass National Forest	5,399
Point Augusta	Tongass National Forest	15,482
Port Alexander	Tongass National Forest	120,681
Prince William Sound Is.	Chugach National Forest	118,698
Quartz	Tongass National Forest	143,003
Redoubt	Tongass National Forest	68,347
Resurrection	Chugach National Forest	224,615
Revilla	Tongass National Forest	29,298
Rhine	Tongass National Forest	23,010
Roaded Donut	Chugach National Forest	968
Rocky Pass	Tongass National Forest	78,163
Sarkar	Tongass National Forest	51,908
Security	Tongass National Forest	31,428
Sheridan Glacier	Chugach National Forest	224,683
Sitka Sound	Tongass National Forest	13,459
Sitka Urban	Tongass National Forest	112,003
Soda Bay	Tongass National Forest	78,091
South Kruzof	Tongass National Forest	55,193
South Kupreanof	Tongass National Forest	216,816
South Revilla	Tongass National Forest	52,105
Spires	Tongass National Forest	533,746
Sukkwan	Tongass National Forest	44,369
Sullivan	Tongass National Forest	67,323
Taku-Snettisham	Tongass National Forest	664,928
Tasnuna River	Chugach National Forest	348,866
Tenakee Ridge	Tongass National Forest	20,527
Thorne River	Tongass National Forest	72,983
Twelvemile	Tongass National Forest	37,940
Twenty Mile	Chugach National Forest	198,775
Upper Situk	Tongass National Forest	16,789
West Wrangell	Tongass National Forest	10,291
Whitestone	Tongass National Forest	5,638
Windham-Port Houghton	Tongass National Forest	161,952
Yakutat Forelands	Tongass National Forest	323,648

California (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Russian	Klamath National Forest	21,771
Snoozer	Klamath National Forest	23,414

Idaho (5)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bighorn - Weitas	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	254,845
Hoodoo	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	153,868
North Lochsa Slope	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	117,662
Secesh	Payette National Forest	248,088
West Meadow Creek	Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest	115,949

Montana (11)

Area	Forest	Acres
Allan Mountain (01946)	Bitterroot National Forest	104,184
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)	Kootenai National Forest	34,716
Galena #677	Kootenai National Forest	19,300
Hoodoo	Lolo National Forest	105,162
Lolo Creek	Lolo National Forest	14,335
Mckay Creek #676	Kootenai National Forest	15,323
Reservation Divide	Lolo National Forest	16,908
Roderick #684	Kootenai National Forest	29,677
Selway - Bitterroot (01067)	Bitterroot National Forest	114,953
Silver King	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	64,289
Stony Mountain	Bitterroot National Forest	44,057

Oregon (48)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bend Watershed	Deschutes National Forest	14,829
Bull Of The Woods	Willamette National Forest	53
Bull Of The Woods	Mt. Hood National Forest	8,843
Bulldog Rock	Willamette National Forest	559
Bulldog Rock	Umpqua National Forest	6,056
Calf - Copeland Creek	Umpqua National Forest	15,696
Castle Rock Appendage	Umpqua National Forest	4,649
Charlton	Deschutes National Forest	7,047
Chucksney Mountain	Willamette National Forest	15,369
Cougar Bluff	Umpqua National Forest	5,574
Eagle	Mt. Hood National Forest	16,841
Echo Mountain	Willamette National Forest	8,098
Elkhorn	Willamette National Forest	9,380
French Pete (a)	Willamette National Forest	1,668
French Pete (b)	Willamette National Forest	1,186
Gold Creek	Willamette National Forest	1,364
Gordon Meadows	Willamette National Forest	9,463
Hardesty Mountain	Willamette National Forest	3,754
Hardesty Mountain	Umpqua National Forest	2,597
Hebo 1a	Siuslaw National Forest	13,930
Lake	Mt. Hood National Forest	1,327
Larch	Mt. Hood National Forest	12,961
Limpy Rock	Umpqua National Forest	6,782
Maiden Peak	Willamette National Forest	9,627
Maiden Peak	Deschutes National Forest	26,432
Mclennon Mountain	Willamette National Forest	8,085
Middle Santiam	Willamette National Forest	7,316
Mt. Jefferson	Deschutes National Forest	2,282
Mt. Bailey	Umpqua National Forest	18,401
Mt. Hagen	Willamette National Forest	6,406
Mt. Hood Additions	Mt. Hood National Forest	13,061
North Paulina	Deschutes National Forest	19,670
Olallie	Mt. Hood National Forest	7,607
Opal Creek	Willamette National Forest	5,417
Rainbow Falls	Willamette National Forest	65
Roaring River	Mt. Hood National Forest	27,316
Roaring River	Willamette National Forest	2,128
Salmon - Huckleberry	Mt. Hood National Forest	17,570
South Paulina	Deschutes National Forest	9,074
Twin Lakes	Mt. Hood National Forest	6,055
Waldo	Deschutes National Forest	4,973
Waldo - Fuji	Willamette National Forest	15,273
Waldo - Lake	Willamette National Forest	2,993
Waldo - Many Praries	Willamette National Forest	2,585
Waldo - Moolack	Willamette National Forest	1,183
Waldo - Salmon Creek	Willamette National Forest	3,195
West - South Bachelor	Deschutes National Forest	25,994
Wind Creek	Mt. Hood National Forest	5,438

Washington (70)

Area	Forest	Acres
Abercrombie - Hooknose	Colville National Forest	33,862
Alpine Lakes Adj.	Wenatchee National Forest	57,104
Backbone	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	1,201
Bear Creek	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	7,980
Big Lava Bed	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	19,043
Blue Lake	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	11,359
Boulder River	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	32,563
Bourbon	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	4,512
Canyon Creek	Wenatchee National Forest	7,983
Chelan	Wenatchee National Forest	74,650
Cortright	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	3,462
Dark Divide	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	52,483
Dixon Mountain	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	6,339
Eagle Rock	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	34,064
Entiat	Wenatchee National Forest	72,617
Glacier Peak B	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	19,328
Glacier Peak J	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	26,482
Glacier Peak K	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	47,269
Glacier Peak L	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	14,084
Goat Rocks Adj	Wenatchee National Forest	6,108
Gotchen Creek	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	7,518
Grassy Top	Idaho Panhandle National Forests	13,485
Green Mountain	Olympic National Forest	4,617
Heather Lake	Wenatchee National Forest	10,628
Higgins Mountain	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	13,185
Horseshoe	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	7,579
Jefferson Ridge	Olympic National Forest	6,512
Jupiter Ridge	Olympic National Forest	10,148
Liberty Bell	Okanogan National Forest	108,495
Lightning	Olympic National Forest	7,179
Long Swamp	Okanogan National Forest	66,344
Madison Creek	Olympic National Forest	1,223
Mcdonald	Olympic National Forest	501
Moonlight Dome	Olympic National Forest	4,919
Mt. Baker Ma	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	24,847
Mt. Baker Noisy - Diobsud	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	56,039
Mt. Baker North	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	16,873
Mt. Baker West	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	25,390
Mt. Baldy	Olympic National Forest	3,557
Mt. Zion	Olympic National Forest	3,544
Myrtle Lake	Wenatchee National Forest	11,133
Nason Ridge	Wenatchee National Forest	19,329
Norse Peak	Wenatchee National Forest	10,169
Packwood Lake	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	1,084
Pompey	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	23,985
Pressentin	Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest	14,545
Quilcene	Olympic National Forest	18,656
Red Lake	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	2,162
Red Mountain	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	2,992
Rock Creek	Wenatchee National Forest	32,239
Rugged Ridge	Olympic National Forest	4,358
Salmo - Priest B	Colville National Forest	11,869
Sawtooth	Okanogan National Forest	122,194
Silver Star	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	7,779
Siouxon	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	12,773
South Midway	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	2,384
South Quinault	Olympic National Forest	11,081
Stormy Mtn.	Wenatchee National Forest	32,612
Strawberry	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	5,244
Taneum	Wenatchee National Forest	26,140
Teanaway	Wenatchee National Forest	72,849
Thorp Mtn.	Wenatchee National Forest	22,717
Tiffany	Okanogan National Forest	22,045
Tumwater	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	8,676
Twin Lakes	Wenatchee National Forest	22,496
Upper Skokomish	Olympic National Forest	9,311
Upper Tucannon	Umatilla National Forest	12,485
West Adams	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	2,238
White Pass	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	1,145
Wobbly	Gifford Pinchot National Forest	6,335

References (7)

Alverson, Ed. 1985. Taxonomy review: IV: Cornus unalasch- kensis. Douglasia. 9(4):3-4.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2016. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 12. Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 603 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Kartesz, J.T. 1995. Species distribution data at county level for vascular plants of the United States, from unpublished data files at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, February, 1995.
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Murrell, Z. E. 1994. Dwarf dogwoods: Intermediacy in the morphological landscape. Systematic Botany 19(4): 539-556.
Taylor, R.L., and B. MacBryde. 1977. Vascular plants of British Columbia: a descriptive resource inventory. Technical Bull. 4. The Botanical Garden. Univ. British Columbia. Univ. British Columbia Press, Vancouver. Canada. 754 pp.