Sand Cherry - Prunus pumila
Species of Concern
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S1S3
* (see State Rank Reason below)
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
MNPS Threat Rank:
2
External Links
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
The sole known extant location in Montana occurs along a county road and is susceptible to road construction and maintenance activities. A 1960 collection with vague locational data has not been relocated but it apparently occurred in native habitat.
- Details on Status Ranking and Review
Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila) Conservation Status Review
Review Date = 11/06/2012
Population Size
Score3 - Vey Small: Generally <2,000 individuals.
Comment
Range Extent
Score1 - Peripheral, Disjunct or Sporadic Distribution in MT: Widespread species that is peripheral, disjunct or sporadically distributed within MT such that it occurs in <5% of the state (<7,500 sq. miles or the combined area of Beaverhead and Ravalli Counties) or is restricted to 4-5 sub-basins.
Comment
Area of Occupancy
Score3 - Very Low: Generally occurring in 3 or fewer Subwatersheds (6th Code HUC’s).
Comment
Trends
Score0-3 - Population trends are unknown.
Comment
Threats
Score1-3 - Medium to Very High. Threats exist, but severity, scope and/or immediacy are uncertain.
CommentPopulation near rodside and may be susceptible to negative impacts.
Intrinsic Vulnerability
Score0-1 - Low to Moderate Vulnerability.
Comment
Environmental Specificity
Score1 - Moderate: Species is restricted to a specific habitat that is more widely distributed or to several restricted habitats and is typically dependent upon relatively unaltered, good-quality habitat (C Values of 5-7).
Comment
Raw Conservation Status Score
Score
9 to 15 total points scored out of a possible 19.
General Description
Sand Cherry is a low shrub with prostrate to ascending branches that are 1-4 dm tall. The alternate, narrowly elliptic leaves are 4-7 cm long, have petioles, and are 5-14 mm long with entire to toothed margins. The twigs are red but become gray with age, and the leaves are dark green and glabrous above but paler below. Clusters of 2-4 flowers occur in the axils of the expanding leaves. Each flower has a bowl-shaped, 5-lobed calyx that is 2-4 mm high and which holds the ovary and 25-30 stamens. The 5 separate, white petals are 6-8 mm long. The globose cherry is dark purple and 13-15 mm long.
Phenology
Mature fruit in June.
Diagnostic Characteristics
The low, often nearly prostrate growth form is distinctive.
General Distribution
Distribution Comments
MT, SK, and MN, south to CO and KS. Peripheral.
Summary of Observations Submitted for Montana
Number of Observations: 1
Number of Occurrences: 1
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Records associated with a range of dates are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Sandy or rocky open soils in grasslands on the plains.
Ecological Systems Associated with this Species
- Commonly Associated with these Ecological Systems
Grassland Systems
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View WorldCat Record 
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Lesica, P. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Sand Cherry"
