Ceanothus diversifolius |
Ceanothus leucodermis |
|
---|---|---|
pine mat |
chaparral whitethorn |
|
Habit | Shrubs, evergreen, 0.2–0.3(–0.5) m, matlike. | Shrubs, evergreen, 1.5–4 m. Stems erect, not rooting at nodes; branchlets light green or grayish green and glaucous, thorn-tipped, round in cross section, rigid, glabrous. |
Stems | spreading, sometimes rooting at nodes; branchlets green, sometimes tinged red, not thorn-tipped, usually round, sometimes angled, in cross section, flexible, puberulent. |
|
Leaves | petiole 3–11 mm; blade flat, elliptic to widely ovate, 12–45 × 6–20 mm, base obtuse to rounded, margins serrulate to denticulate, not revolute, usually not wavy, sometimes wavy, teeth 27–42, apex ± obtuse to rounded, abaxial surface pale green, pilosulous, adaxial surface green, pilosulous; usually pinnately veined, rarely 3-veined from base. |
petiole 3–7 mm; blade flat, ovate to oblong-elliptic, 5–30 × 3–15 mm, base rounded to subcordate, margins usually entire to minutely glandular-serrulate, rarely serrate, glands 16–20, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface grayish green, glaucous, glabrous, adaxial surface green, ± glaucous, dull, usually glabrous, sometimes appressed villosulous; 3-veined from base. |
Inflorescences | axillary, umbel-like to racemelike, 1.3–4 cm. |
axillary, usually paniclelike, sometimes racemelike, (3–)5–15 cm. |
Flowers | sepals, petals, and nectary usually blue to pale blue, rarely white. |
sepals, petals, and nectary white to blue. |
Capsules | 4–5 mm wide, weakly lobed near apex; valves smooth, crested. |
3–5 mm wide, lobed; valves smooth, viscid, not crested. |
2n | = 24. |
|
Ceanothus diversifolius |
Ceanothus leucodermis |
|
Phenology | Flowering Apr–Jun. | Flowering Apr–Jun. |
Habitat | Well-drained slopes and canyons, open to shaded sites, mixed evergreen and conifer forests. | Rocky slopes, chaparral, oak woodlands, conifer forests. |
Elevation | 700–2300 m. (2300–7500 ft.) | 200–1800 m. (700–5900 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA
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CA; Mexico (Baja California)
|
Discussion | Ceanothus diversifolius occurs in the North Coast Ranges and the western slopes of the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada; it often forms mats to two meters wide. Marginal teeth on young leaves are notable in having more or less persistent, narrowly conic glands, not seen elsewhere in Ceanothus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Ceanothus leucodermis is a common, often dominant species of chaparral in the mountains of central and southern California. This species is notable in producing serrate to serrulate leaves on stump sprouts following fire (M. Van Rensselaer and H. McMinn 1942). Putative hybrids and advanced generation intermediates with C. oliganthus occur throughout the southern Coast and Transverse ranges of California (McMinn 1944). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 94. | FNA vol. 12, p. 86. |
Parent taxa | Rhamnaceae > Ceanothus > subg. Ceanothus | Rhamnaceae > Ceanothus > subg. Ceanothus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. decumbens | |
Name authority | Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 58. (1855) | Greene: Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1895: 15. (1895) |
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