Symphoricarpos mollis

{{Short description|Species of shrub}}

{{speciesbox

|image = Symphoricarposmollis.jpg

|genus = Symphoricarpos

|species = mollis

|authority = Nutt. 1841

}}

Symphoricarpos mollis, with the common names creeping snowberry,{{PLANTS|id=SYMO|taxon=Symphoricarpos mollis|accessdate=4 December 2015}} Southern California snowberry, and trip vine, is a shrub in the honeysuckle family.Flowering Plans of the Santa Monica Mountains, Nancy Dale, 2nd. Ed, 2000, p. 91

Description

The plant is a creeping shrub, low growing and straggling, with stems that can reach several feet while the height limited to about {{Convert|0.5|m|ft|frac=2}}. It reproduces both from via rhizome and seed.

Leaves are opposite.{{Cite book |last1=Turner |first1=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLbAAwAAQBAJ |title=Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest |last2=Kuhlmann |first2=Ellen |date=2014 |publisher=Timber Press |isbn=978-1-60469-263-1 |edition=1st |location=Portland, OR |pages=310}} Stems are flexible.

It bears bunches of red or pink rounded, bell-shaped flowers and spherical or bulbous white or pink-tinted fruits measuring about {{Convert|1|cm|frac=4}}.

Distribution and habitat

The shrub is found in western North America from British Columbia to California inland to Nevada and Idaho.[http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Symphoricarpos+mollis Calflora taxon report, University of California, Symphoricarpos mollis Nutt. Trailing Snowberry, creeping snowberry, snowberry ][https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8370347#page/214/mode/1up Jones, George Neville 1940. A monograph of the genus Symphoricarpos. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 21(2): 201-252]

It does well in warm climates and can tolerate both intense sun and constant shade. It is a plant of chaparral ecosystems, especially along coastlines.

Edibility

The fruits are inedible. While not generally considered toxic, they are distasteful, having a soapy texture due to the presence of saponins.

References

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