Flora of North America species comparison

Arctostaphylos patula is abundant and widespread in western North America as a dominant in montane chaparral, pine forest gaps, and high-elevation arid-steppe and canyon-land environments. Populations throughout western North America are characterized by twigs and inflorescence parts covered with relatively short hairs tipped with golden glands. In the central to northern Sierra Nevada, mixed with the widespread form are individuals that are eglandular and have a cover of relatively short, whitish hairs on the stems and inflorescences. Similarly, throughout most of its range, A. patula is nonsprouting after fire, and in areas characterized by winter snow cover it layers and creates broad, low mounds. In much of California, it typically sprouts after fires from obscure and flattened burls, forming circles of erect sprouts.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Arctostaphylos glauca is widespread, occurring from Mount Diablo in central California through the southern Coast Ranges, east through the Transverse Ranges into the desert, and south in the Peninsular Ranges into northern Baja California, usually in drier interior ranges. It is distinctive throughout its range; however, some populations have nonglandular twig puberulence and others are stipitate-glandular, often mixed in with individuals that are typically glabrous. Arctostaphylos glauca can be a component of chaparral and can also be found in woodlands and at the edges of grasslands.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)