Populus alba (White poplar,
Abele)
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids >
Eurosid I > Order: Malpighiales
> Family:
Salicaceae > Genus: Populus
Identification
Similar in appearance to
Populus x canescens mainly
in that they both have lobed leaves with young leaves having a
tomentum (woolly covering) on the underside of the leaves. They can
be distinguished on the basis of the following leaf characters:
| |
Populus alba |
Populus x canescens |
| Leaf size |
Usually longer than 45 mm |
Usually smaller, shorter than 40 mm |
| Leaf shape |
1-5 lobed and have more than 5 small,
irregular, sharp, triangular teeth on each side. |
Lobes reduced to 4 or 5 coarse, broadly
rounded teeth on each side. |
| Underside of leaf |
Old leaves have a tomentum (i.e. have
dense, matted hairs on underside) |
Old leaves without a tomentum (i.e. don't
have dense, matted hairs) |
Distribution and habitat
Native to central, eastern and southeastern
Europe, and Asia. In southern Africa it has become naturalised from
plantations in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and Lesotho. A
declared Category 2 invasive
plants in South Africa. It is
not as widespread as the very similar looking
Populus x canescens.
It is spread vegetatively by root suckers as only female plants
occur in southern Africa.
References
- Jordaan, M. 2005. FSA contributions 18: Salicaceae s. str.
Bothalia 35(1): 7-20.
Text by Hamish Robertson |
