Distribution: Occurring in the northeast corner of Washington; British Columbia east to Quebec, east of the Cascades to Idaho, Montana and the central Sierra Nevada of California.
Habitat: Moist ground, expecially along streams, at moderate to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Flowers: June-July
Origin: Native
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Deciduous, dioecious shrub 0.5-1.5 m. tall, erect to rounded.
Leaves alternate, the blades thin, 6-11 cm. long, oblong-ovate to oblong-elliptic, closely glandular-serrulate, the main lateral veins 5-7; stipules oblong, 3-6 mm. long.
Flowers 2-4 in axillary, sessile umbels, developing with the leaves, about 5 mm. broad; both staminate and pistillate flowers have vestiges of the other essential organs; calyx shallowly bell-shaped, 5-lobed; petals lacking.
Berry 6-8 mm. long, bluish-black, 3-seeded.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Rhamnus alnifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Rhamnus alnifolia checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Rhamnus alnifolia atlas page.
CalPhotos: Rhamnus alnifolia photos.
USDA Plants: Rhamnus alnifolia information.