FNA: Arctostaphylos purissima vs. Arctostaphylos obispoensis

	Arctostaphylos purissima	Arctostaphylos obispoensis
	La Purisima manzanita, La Purissima manzanita	Bishop manzanita, serpentine manzanita
Habit	Shrubs, erect, 1–4 m; burl absent; twigs densely short-hairy with longer hairs.	Shrubs or trees, erect, 1–4 m; burl absent; twigs sparsely short-hairy.
Leaves	petiole to 2 mm; blade bright green, shiny, orbiculate-ovate to ± orbiculate, 1–2.5 × 1–2 cm, base auriculate-clasping, margins entire, plane, surfaces smooth, glabrous.	petiole 5–7 mm; blade gray-glaucous, dull, oblong- to lanceolate-ovate, 2–4.5 × 1–2.5 cm, base rounded to truncate or ± lobed, margins entire, plane, surfaces smooth, appressed gray-canescent, glabrescent.
Inflorescences	racemes, simple or 1–2-branched; immature inflorescence pendent, (branches dense, concealed by bracts), axis 0.5–1 cm, 1+ mm diam., densely short-hairy with longer hairs; bracts not appressed, (overlapping), leaflike, ovate to lanceolate-ovate, 5–8 mm, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.	panicles, 2–4-branched; immature inflorescence pendent or ascending, (branches curved, bell-shaped), axis 1–2.5 cm, 1+ mm diam., sparsely short-hairy; bracts not appressed, leaflike, linear-lanceolate, 7–14 mm, apex acuminate, surfaces appressed-canescent or glabrous.
Pedicels	3–5 mm, sparsely hairy or glabrous.	8–10 mm, glabrous.
Flowers	corolla white, conic to urceolate; ovary glabrous.	corolla white, conic to urceolate; ovary glabrous.
Fruits	depressed-globose, 5–8 mm diam., glabrous.	depressed-globose, 9–14 mm diam., glabrous.
Stones	distinct.	distinct.
2n	= 26.	= 26.

	Arctostaphylos purissima	Arctostaphylos obispoensis
Phenology	Flowering winter–early spring.	Flowering winter–early spring.
Habitat	Maritime chaparral on deep, sandy soils	Chaparral, open, closed-cone conifer forests
Elevation	0-100 m (0-300 ft)	200-700 m (700-2300 ft)
Distribution	CA [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	CA [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Of conservation concern. Arctostaphylos purissima is known from hills and mesas near the coast (Burton Mesa) in Santa Barbara County. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Arctostaphylos obispoensis is found in the southern Santa Lucia Mountains on serpentine soils in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 8, p. 434.	FNA vol. 8, p. 430.
Parent taxa	Ericaceae > subfam. Arbutoideae > Arctostaphylos	Ericaceae > subfam. Arbutoideae > Arctostaphylos
Sibling taxa	A. andersonii, A. auriculata, A. bakeri, A. canescens, A. catalinae, A. columbiana, A. confertiflora, A. crustacea, A. cruzensis, A. densiflora, A. edmundsii, A. franciscana, A. gabilanensis, A. glandulosa, A. glauca, A. glutinosa, A. hispidula, A. hookeri, A. hooveri, A. imbricata, A. insularis, A. klamathensis, A. luciana, A. malloryi, A. manzanita, A. mewukka, A. montana, A. montaraensis, A. montereyensis, A. morroensis, A. myrtifolia, A. nevadensis, A. nissenana, A. nortensis, A. nummularia, A. obispoensis, A. ohloneana, A. osoensis, A. otayensis, A. pacifica, A. pajaroensis, A. pallida, A. parryana, A. patula, A. pechoensis, A. pilosula, A. pringlei, A. pumila, A. pungens, A. rainbowensis, A. refugioensis, A. regismontana, A. rudis, A. sensitiva, A. silvicola, A. stanfordiana, A. tomentosa, A. uva-ursi, A. virgata, A. viridissima, A. viscida	A. andersonii, A. auriculata, A. bakeri, A. canescens, A. catalinae, A. columbiana, A. confertiflora, A. crustacea, A. cruzensis, A. densiflora, A. edmundsii, A. franciscana, A. gabilanensis, A. glandulosa, A. glauca, A. glutinosa, A. hispidula, A. hookeri, A. hooveri, A. imbricata, A. insularis, A. klamathensis, A. luciana, A. malloryi, A. manzanita, A. mewukka, A. montana, A. montaraensis, A. montereyensis, A. morroensis, A. myrtifolia, A. nevadensis, A. nissenana, A. nortensis, A. nummularia, A. ohloneana, A. osoensis, A. otayensis, A. pacifica, A. pajaroensis, A. pallida, A. parryana, A. patula, A. pechoensis, A. pilosula, A. pringlei, A. pumila, A. pungens, A. purissima, A. rainbowensis, A. refugioensis, A. regismontana, A. rudis, A. sensitiva, A. silvicola, A. stanfordiana, A. tomentosa, A. uva-ursi, A. virgata, A. viridissima, A. viscida
Name authority	P. V. Wells: Madroño 19: 195. 1968 ,	Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 8. 1937 ,
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Arctostaphylos purissima

Arctostaphylos obispoensis

La Purisima manzanita, La Purissima manzanita

Bishop manzanita, serpentine manzanita

Habit

Shrubs, erect, 1–4 m; burl absent; twigs densely short-hairy with longer hairs.

Shrubs or trees, erect, 1–4 m; burl absent; twigs sparsely short-hairy.

Leaves

petiole to 2 mm;

blade bright green, shiny, orbiculate-ovate to ± orbiculate, 1–2.5 × 1–2 cm, base auriculate-clasping, margins entire, plane, surfaces smooth, glabrous.

petiole 5–7 mm;

blade gray-glaucous, dull, oblong- to lanceolate-ovate, 2–4.5 × 1–2.5 cm, base rounded to truncate or ± lobed, margins entire, plane, surfaces smooth, appressed gray-canescent, glabrescent.

Inflorescences

racemes, simple or 1–2-branched;

immature inflorescence pendent, (branches dense, concealed by bracts), axis 0.5–1 cm, 1+ mm diam., densely short-hairy with longer hairs;

bracts not appressed, (overlapping), leaflike, ovate to lanceolate-ovate, 5–8 mm, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.

panicles, 2–4-branched;

immature inflorescence pendent or ascending, (branches curved, bell-shaped), axis 1–2.5 cm, 1+ mm diam., sparsely short-hairy;

bracts not appressed, leaflike, linear-lanceolate, 7–14 mm, apex acuminate, surfaces appressed-canescent or glabrous.

Pedicels

3–5 mm, sparsely hairy or glabrous.

8–10 mm, glabrous.

Flowers

corolla white, conic to urceolate;

ovary glabrous.

corolla white, conic to urceolate;

ovary glabrous.

Fruits

depressed-globose, 5–8 mm diam., glabrous.

depressed-globose, 9–14 mm diam., glabrous.

Stones

distinct.

= 26.

Arctostaphylos purissima

Arctostaphylos obispoensis

Phenology

Flowering winter–early spring.

Habitat

Maritime chaparral on deep, sandy soils

Chaparral, open, closed-cone conifer forests

Elevation

0-100 m (0-300 ft)

200-700 m (700-2300 ft)

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Arctostaphylos purissima is known from hills and mesas near the coast (Burton Mesa) in Santa Barbara County.

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

Arctostaphylos obispoensis is found in the southern Santa Lucia Mountains on serpentine soils in Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.

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

Source

FNA vol. 8, p. 434.

FNA vol. 8, p. 430.

Parent taxa

Ericaceae > subfam. Arbutoideae > Arctostaphylos

Sibling taxa

A. andersonii, A. auriculata, A. bakeri, A. canescens, A. catalinae, A. columbiana, A. confertiflora, A. crustacea, A. cruzensis, A. densiflora, A. edmundsii, A. franciscana, A. gabilanensis, A. glandulosa, A. glauca, A. glutinosa, A. hispidula, A. hookeri, A. hooveri, A. imbricata, A. insularis, A. klamathensis, A. luciana, A. malloryi, A. manzanita, A. mewukka, A. montana, A. montaraensis, A. montereyensis, A. morroensis, A. myrtifolia, A. nevadensis, A. nissenana, A. nortensis, A. nummularia, A. obispoensis, A. ohloneana, A. osoensis, A. otayensis, A. pacifica, A. pajaroensis, A. pallida, A. parryana, A. patula, A. pechoensis, A. pilosula, A. pringlei, A. pumila, A. pungens, A. rainbowensis, A. refugioensis, A. regismontana, A. rudis, A. sensitiva, A. silvicola, A. stanfordiana, A. tomentosa, A. uva-ursi, A. virgata, A. viridissima, A. viscida

A. andersonii, A. auriculata, A. bakeri, A. canescens, A. catalinae, A. columbiana, A. confertiflora, A. crustacea, A. cruzensis, A. densiflora, A. edmundsii, A. franciscana, A. gabilanensis, A. glandulosa, A. glauca, A. glutinosa, A. hispidula, A. hookeri, A. hooveri, A. imbricata, A. insularis, A. klamathensis, A. luciana, A. malloryi, A. manzanita, A. mewukka, A. montana, A. montaraensis, A. montereyensis, A. morroensis, A. myrtifolia, A. nevadensis, A. nissenana, A. nortensis, A. nummularia, A. ohloneana, A. osoensis, A. otayensis, A. pacifica, A. pajaroensis, A. pallida, A. parryana, A. patula, A. pechoensis, A. pilosula, A. pringlei, A. pumila, A. pungens, A. purissima, A. rainbowensis, A. refugioensis, A. regismontana, A. rudis, A. sensitiva, A. silvicola, A. stanfordiana, A. tomentosa, A. uva-ursi, A. virgata, A. viridissima, A. viscida

Name authority

P. V. Wells: Madroño 19: 195. 1968 ,

Eastwood: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 8. 1937 ,

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

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Flora of North America species comparison

Arctostaphylos purissima

Arctostaphylos obispoensis

Arctostaphylos purissima

Arctostaphylos obispoensis