60 MISC. PUBLICATION 101, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
SPIREAS (SPIRAEA SPP.) 
This northern genus of about 75 species, represented in the Western 4 
States by about 11 species, is frequently called meadowsweet or 
(those species with pyramidal inflorescence) steeplebush. The pala-— 
tability of these bushes is usually low, sheep and cattle nibbling 
them only a little when very hungry or short of browse, or more | 
often leaving the plants untouched. In the East abundance of native 
spireas in pastures is a common index of overgrazing. However, 
the leaves are often tardily deciduous and, after frost, are occa-— 
sionally taken readily by stock. 
Menzies spirea (S. menziestz), a northwestern species with moder- — 
ately thin and smooth leaves and pyramidal heads of rose-colored 
flowers, is regarded locally as the most palatable member of the genus 
in that region, being fair to good forage in the fall for both sheep 
and cattle. 
APPLE FAMILY (MALACEAE) 
SERVICEBERRIES (AMELANCHIER SPP.) 
The serviceberry genus (Amelanchier), often called sarvisberry, | 
juneberry, and shadblow, is a large one, almost world-wide in dis- 
tribution but probably best represented in the western United States | 
where perhaps about 24 species occur, using a more conservative 
specific concept. It is ranked among the important and highly 
palatable groups of goat browse, sometimes good winter sheep feed, 
but of only moderate value on summer cattle range. 
Common serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) (fig. 15), known 
variantly as saskatoon, alderleaf sarvisberry, western juneberry, and 
pigeon berry, the commonest and most widely distributed of the 
western members of the genus, is normally a shrub 3 to 10 or occa- 
sionally 15 feet high, but under the most favorable soil and climatic 
conditions it becomes a small or medium-sized tree 20 to 30 or even 
40 feet high. The copious white flowers appear from May to early 
July. The fruit is juicy, sweet, and edible. 
Taking a conservative view of specific limitations it may be stated 
that common serviceberry ranges from western Ontario and Mich- 
igan to Yukon, (Alaska?) and British Columbia and south to Cal- 
ifornia, New Mexico, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. It is difficult, 
if not impossible, to give the exact range of this species owing 
chiefly to differences of taxonomic opinion. In the Northwest it 
occurs from nearly sea level up to about 4,500 feet; in south-central 
California and in northern Arizona and New Mexico its altitudinal 
distribution is largely between about 7,000 and 9,500 feet; in the 
Rocky Mountains it is found from 2,500 to 9,000 feet, depending 
mainly on the latitude. It occurs on all slopes, in both moist and 
rich and in dry rocky and rather sterile soils, growing in canyons 
and gulches, along streams, mountain slopes, and ridge tops. ‘The 
species grows mostly in brush and other browse types, usually scat- 
tered but often abundant, frequently associated with aspen (mostly 
in thin stand), chokecherry, thimbleberry, maples, Gambel oak, and 
manzanita. | 
In a good many places common serviceberry is a forage species 
of the first rank. In general the young foliage is more palatable 
Tepe eae let ll tat OE MELE 2 Se ON 
