# Peraphyllum

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Peraphyllum
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Peraphyllum.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peraphyllum
> Source revision: 1344587983
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Genus of flowering plants

Peraphyllum Peraphyllum ramosissimum Conservation status Apparently Secure (NatureServe)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Amygdaloideae Tribe: Maleae Subtribe: Malinae Genus: Peraphyllum Nutt. Species: P. ramosissimum Binomial name Peraphyllum ramosissimum Nutt.

***Peraphyllum*** is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the [rose family](/source/Rosaceae), containing the single species ***Peraphyllum ramosissimum***, commonly known as **wild crab apple**.

## Description

*Peraphyllum ramosissimum* is a [shrub](/source/Shrub) which may reach 3 metres (10 ft) in height.[2] Growing up to 3.5 centimetres (1+1⁄2 in) long,[2] the leaves are [simple](/source/Leaf#Divisions_of_the_lamina_(blade)); they can grow very close together on short shoots but are well separated on longer shoots.[3]

Like most other flowering plants of the Rosaceae, *P. ramosissimum* has 5 [petals](/source/Petals) and 5 [sepals](/source/Sepals) with [radial symmetry](/source/Radial_symmetry). The flowers have about 15–20 free [stamens](/source/Stamens), and the [petals](/source/Petal) are white to rose in color. The fruit is a yellowish to purplish [pome](/source/Pome) about 1 centimetre (1⁄2 in) wide.[2]

## Taxonomy

Translated from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language), the genus *Peraphyllum* means "very leafy" and the species name *ramosissimum* means "many branches". *Peraphyllum* is most closely related to *[Amelanchier](/source/Amelanchier)*, *[Malacomeles](/source/Malacomeles)*, *[Crataegus](/source/Crataegus)*, and *[Mespilus](/source/Mespilus)*.[4]

## Distribution and habitat

*Peraphyllum ramosissimum* grows in [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)), [California](/source/California), [Oregon](/source/Oregon),[2] Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, usually in [pine](/source/Pine) and [juniper](/source/Juniper) woodlands.[2] In California it can be found in the [High Cascades](/source/Cascade_Range#High_Cascades), [High Sierra Nevada](/source/High_Sierra_(biome)), [Great Basin](/source/Great_Basin), and [Mojave Desert](/source/Mojave_Desert) [sky islands](/source/Sky_island).

## Uses

The ripe pome is edible and sweetish but has a bitter aftertaste.[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NS_1-0)** [NatureServe](/source/NatureServe). ["*Peraphyllum ramosissimum*"](https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.143233/). *NatureServe Explorer*. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 21 March 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-tktimb_2-5) Turner, Mark; Kuhlmann, Ellen (2014). [*Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VLbAAwAAQBAJ) (1st ed.). Portland, OR: [Timber Press](/source/Timber_Press). p. 248. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-60469-263-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-60469-263-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Janene Auger and Justin G. Smith, *Peraphyllum ramosissimum* Nutt., squaw-apple in *Woody Plant Seed Manual Interim Web Site*](http://www.nsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/Peraphyllum.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090219083725/http://nsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/Peraphyllum.pdf) 2009-02-19 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Campbell, C.S.; Evans, R.C.; Morgan, D.R.; Dickinson, T.A.; Arsenault, M.P. (2007). Phylogeny of subtribe Pyrinae (formerly the Maloideae, Rosaceae): Limited resolution of a complex evolutionary history. *Plant Systematics and Evolution*. 266(1–2): 119–145.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Peraphyllum ramosissimum](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Peraphyllum_ramosissimum).

- [Jepson Manual Treatment: *Peraphyllum ramosissimum*](http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6815,6816)

- [USDA PLANTS entry for *Peraphyllum ramosissimum* (wild crab apple)](https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PERA4)

- [*Peraphyllum ramosissimum* — U.C. Photo gallery](http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Peraphyllum+ramosissimum)

Taxon identifiers Peraphyllum Wikidata: Q3487167 Wikispecies: Peraphyllum BOLD: 446067 CoL: 6KZQ EoL: 37783 EPPO: 1PPYG FNA: 124488 GBIF: 2987831 GRIN: 9082 iNaturalist: 72282 IPNI: 33947-1 IRMNG: 1301453 ITIS: 25269 NCBI: 36619 Open Tree of Life: 941750 PLANTS: PERAP POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:33947-1 Tropicos: 40004306 WFO: wfo-4000028703 Peraphyllum ramosissimum Wikidata: Q17242033 BOLD: 446068 Calflora: 6239 CoL: 6V3NX EoL: 300923 EPPO: PPYRA FNA: 220010135 GBIF: 2987832 GRIN: 27352 iNaturalist: 78430 IPNI: 727220-1 IRMNG: 10581769 ITIS: 25270 NatureServe: 2.143233 NCBI: 36620 Open Tree of Life: 316545 Plant List: rjp-5828 PLANTS: PERA4 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:727220-1 Tropicos: 27800994 WFO: wfo-0001013734

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Peraphyllum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peraphyllum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peraphyllum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.