Frangula


Frangula is a genus of about 35 accepted species of shrubs or small trees, commonly known as buckthorns in the flowering plant family Rhamnaceae.

Description

Frangula is a genus of deciduous shrubs with alternate, simple leaves with stipules, buds without bud scales, branches without spines and flowers with five petals and undivided styles. The fruits are 2 to 4-seeded berries.
Selected species include:
The European species, alder buckthorn was of major military importance in the 15th to 19th centuries, as its wood provided the best quality charcoal for gunpowder manufacture.