Taxon Report

Cornus unalaschkensis Ledeb.

bunchberry

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© 2021 Scot Loring

Taxon Summary

Cornus unalaschkensis, commonly known as bunchberry, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Cornaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Bogs and fens, Meadows and seeps, and North Coast coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 60 to 1920 meters. Cornus unalaschkensis is ranked 2B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Cornus unalaschkensis Ledeb.
Common Name:
 bunchberry
Family: Cornaceae
Element Code: PDCOR010F0
USDA Plants Symbol: COCA13
Synonyms/Other Names:
  • Cornus canadensis

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: May-Jul May-Jul
Elevation: 60-1920 (195-6300)
General Habitats: Bogs and fens, Meadows and seeps, North Coast coniferous forest
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 2B.2
Global Rank: G5
State Rank:
 S2
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status:
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2.2 to 2B.2 on 2013-06-12
  • added to 2.2 on 2012-12-11

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 11
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 1
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 9

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Del Norte (DNT), Humboldt (HUM), Mendocino (MEN), Siskiyou (SIS)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Broken Rib Mtn. (4112386), Eaton Peak (4112238), Fort Bragg (3912347), Maple Creek (4012377), Mendocino (3912337), Polar Bear Mtn. (4112385), Somes Bar (4112344), Tish Tang Point (4112315)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 6
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
3 27 %
Foot traffic/trampling 2 18%
Logging 2 18%
Non-native plant impacts 1 9%
ORV activity 1 9%
Other 1 9%
Vandalism/dumping/litter 1 9%

Notes
Several populations at the southern end of its distribution in CA are extirpated. Many collections old; need field surveys. Possibly threatened by logging, meadow succession, and climate change. See Species Plantarum 1:118 (1753) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2012-12-11
Non-Substantive Name Change: Cornus canadensis to Cornus unalaschkensis
Cornus unalaschkensis profile for potential Species of Conservation Concern evaluation (2018)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 3 November 2025].