Foothills. Woodlands and meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, June 11, 2008.

Rhamnus smithii occurs in just a few counties of Colorado and New Mexico and it is uncommon in these.  It is a handsome shrub, 6-10 feet tall (six feet tall as shown here) with light gray bark, shiny green leaves, and a myriad of very fragrant flowers that give rise to black berries eaten by many critters.  It is easy to mistake this shrub for Forestiera pubescens; I did.

In 1753 Linnaeus named this genus from "Rhamnos", the classical Greek name for this genus; "smithii" honors Benjamin Smith, the man who collected this plant.  Edward Greene named the species, probably in 1896.

Foothills. Woodlands and meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, June 11, 2008.

Foothills. Woodlands and meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, June 11, 2008.

Foothills. Woodlands and meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, July 24, 2008.

Foothills. Woodlands and meadows. Summer.
Lone Mesa State Park, June 11, 2008.