Arctostaphylos otayensis

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Arctostaphylos otayensis
Arctostaphylos otayensis 178506038.jpg
Status TNC G1.svg
Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Arctostaphylos
Species:
A. otayensis
Binomial name
Arctostaphylos otayensis

Arctostaphylos otayensis is a species of manzanita commonly known as the Otay manzanita. It is a rare perennial shrub native to the mountains of southwestern San Diego County, California and northwestern Baja California, where it grows in chaparral habitats. The white urn-shaped flowers bloom from winter to spring. [2] [3]

Contents

Description

Detail of the leaves Arctostaphylos otayensis 178506024.jpg
Detail of the leaves

Arctostaphylos otayensis is an erect or mound-forming shrub, 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) tall. It lacks a burl, and has twigs that are sparsely covered in short hairs and long glandular hairs. The leaves are erect, borne on petioles 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long. The base of the leaf near the petiole has a rounded or truncate shape. The leaves have a gray-glaucous color and are narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic to ovate in shape, measuring 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) long by 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) wide. [3]

The inflorescence is a panicle with 4 to 7 branches. The young inflorescence branches have an erect or ascending orientation, and are covered in hairs like those on the twigs. The inflorescence is covered in leaflike bracts. The flowers are attached to pedicels 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long. The flowers are white, with a conic to urceolate shape, and with an ovary covered in dense white hairs. The fruits are globose in shape, mostly lacking hairs, and are 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) in diameter. [3]

Flowering in Baja California Arctostaphylos otayensis 289856307.jpg
Flowering in Baja California

References

  1. ↑ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0".
  2. ↑ Rebman, Jon P.; Gibson, Judy; Rich, Karen (15 November 2016). "Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). Proceedings of the San Diego Society of Natural History. 45. San Diego Natural History Museum: 138 – via San Diego Plant Atlas.
  3. 1 2 3 Parker, V. Thomas; Vasey, Michael C.; Keeley, Jon E. "Arctostaphylos otayensis". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
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