leatherleaf

(Chamaedaphne calyculata)

Conservation Status
leatherleaf
Photo by Luciearl
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Midwest

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Leatherleaf is common and abundant shrub of northern wetlands. It occurs throughout northern Europe and Asia and northern North America. In the United States it occurs from Maine to Minnesota, south to New Jersey and Illinois, with disjunct populations in North Carolina and Washington State. In Minnesota it occurs in the north-central and northeast regions south to the Metro region. It is found in open areas in bogs, marshes, swamps, and floodplains, and on riverbanks and lakeshores. It grows under full sun in acidic, nutrient-poor soils. It is the dominant shrub of dwarf shrub wetland communities.

Leatherleaf is a perennial, evergreen, dwarf shrub that rises on several stems from an underground horizontal stem (rhizome). It can be 8 to 60 tall but is usually no more than 40 in height. It often forms dense thickets.

The stems may be erect, curving up from the base (ascending), or nearly horizontal (spreading). They have many stiff, wiry branches.

First year twigs are brown and are covered with minute hairs and scattered scales. In the second year they turn gray and eventually brown or purplish-brown. The mass of spongy cells in the center of the stem (pith), best seen when the stem is sliced at an angle, is solid.

The leaves are alternate, leathery, evergreen, to 2 (15 to 50 mm) long, and to (10 to 15 mm) wide. They are on short, 116 to (1.5 to 3 mm) long leaf stalks (petioles). They often point upward from the stem. The largest mature leaves are 3 times as long as wide. The leaf blades are oval, sometimes with nearly parallel sides (oblong), sometimes widest in the middle and narrowing to both ends (elliptic), rarely widest beyond the middle (obovate). They are wedge shaped at the base, taper to a broad or narrow point at the tip, and have a short, abrupt point at the tip (mucronate). The upper surface is dark olive-green, dull, and hairless, and is sparsely covered with scales. The lower surface is pale green and densely covered with white or rust-colored scales. The margins are slightly rolled under and have minute, rounded teeth.

The inflorescence is a leafy, 1½ to 4¾ (4 to 12 cm) long, unbranched, one-sided (secund) cluster (raceme) of 8 to 20 small flowers at the end of the stem and branches. The leaves within the raceme are similar to branch leaves but much smaller.

The flowers are urn-shaped and 316 to ¼ (5 to 7 mm) long. They have both male and female parts (bisexual). Each flower hangs downward singly from a leaf axil on a 132 to (1 to 3 mm) long, densely hairy stalk (pedicel). There are 5 outer floral leaves (sepals), 5 petals, 10 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals are broadly triangular, 116to (1.5 to 3 mm) long, and scaly. The petals are fused for most of their length then separated into 5 short lobes. The lobes are 132 to 116 (1 to 2 mm) long and curved backward. The stamens do not extend beyond the corolla. The style sometimes extends slightly beyond the corolla.

The fruit is a hairless, flattened globular, 5-chambered, to 3 16 (3 to 5 mm) in diameter capsule. It matures in the fall and remains on the plant through the winter. The sepals and the style persist with the capsule.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

8 to 60

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

White

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Wet. Bogs, marshes, swamps, floodplains, riverbanks, and lakeshores. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

Early May to mid-June

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  5/6/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common and abundant in the northeastern third of Minnesota.

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Ericales (heathers, balsams, primroses, and allies)  
 

Family

Ericaceae (heath)  
  Subfamily Vaccinioideae (blueberries, cranberries, huckleberries, and allies)  
  Tribe Gaultherieae  
 

Genus

Chamaedaphne (leatherleaves)  
       
 

Leatherleaf is the only species in the genus Chamaedaphne.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
       
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Andromeda calyculata

Cassandra calyculata

Cassandra calyculata var. angustifolia

Cassandra calyculata var. latifolia

Chamaedaphne calyculata var. angustifolia

Chamaedaphne calyculata var. latifolia

Chamaedaphne calyculata var. nana

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

cassandra

leatherleaf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Ascending

Growing upward at an angle or curving upward from the base.

 

Corolla

A collective name for all of the petals of a flower.

 

Elliptic

Narrowly oval, broadest at the middle, narrower at both ends, with the ends being equal.

 

Mucronate

Tipped with a short, sharp, abrupt point.

 

Oblong

Two to four times longer than wide with nearly parallel sides.

 

Obovate

Inversely egg-shaped, with the attachment at the narrower end.

 

Pedicel

On plants: the stalk of a single flower in a cluster of flowers. On insects: the second segment of the antennae. On Hymenoptera and Araneae: the narrow stalk connecting the thorax to the abdomen: the preferred term is petiole.

 

Petiole

On plants: The stalk of a leaf blade or a compound leaf that attaches it to the stem. On ants and wasps: The constricted first one or two segments of the rear part of the body.

 

Pith

The spongy cells in the center of the stem.

 

Raceme

An unbranched, elongated inflorescence with stalked flowers. The flowers mature from the bottom up.

 

Sepal

An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.

 

Spreading

Extending nearly horizontal.

 
 
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Luciearl

 
 

Located in bog/wetland

 
    leatherleaf   leatherleaf  
           
    leatherleaf   leatherleaf  
           
 
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slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  chamaedaphne calyculata
Flowers
 
   
 
About

Aug 22, 2011

chamaedaphne calyculata

   
  Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata) in full bloom at Glacial Park
DiscoverMCCD
 
   
 
About

Apr 22, 2020

Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata) is in full bloom! This plant can be found in bogs, like the one in Glacial Park, and when in full bloom the bog takes on a cream hue. This is a state-threatened species and happens to be a dominant one in our bogs.

   
  Last snow and Bog Leatherleaf flowering
Mukhrino Field Station
 
   
 
About

Feb 5, 2018

The last snow come late in 2014 when leaves were already partly opened and the Bog Leatherleaf (C. calyculata) was flowering, on 30 May. You could see raised water lever due to snowmelt in early summer of Mukhrina river, and a piece of bog nearby the station's house. The snow was heavy and surprizing and inspired me to make a short movie :).

   

 

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  Luciearl
3/30/2020

Location: Cass County

Located in bog/wetland

leatherleaf  
           
 
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Created: 4/27/2020

Last Updated:

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