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.)

Of conservation concern.

Arctostaphylos pilosula occurs in San Luis Obispo County and exhibits some variation in leaf shape and color, as well as indument. Plants at higher elevations and farther inland may reflect introgression with A. glauca. Some lower-elevation populations historically have been segregated as subsp. pismoensis or A. wellsii. Field observation suggests that there is a morphological cline between coastal and interior populations so that taxonomic distinctions between these populations are unwarranted. Further taxonomic analysis might help to resolve this situation.

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