Ceanothus tomentosus

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Ceanothus tomentosus
Ceanothus tomentosus 01.jpg
Status TNC G3.svg
Vulnerable  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rhamnaceae
Genus: Ceanothus
Species:
C. tomentosus
Binomial name
Ceanothus tomentosus

Ceanothus tomentosus, with the common name woollyleaf ceanothus, is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. It is characterized by pale-blue to deep blue flowers and wooly leaves. It is native to California and Baja California, having an unusual disjunct distribution in the Peninsular Ranges and the north-central Sierra Nevada.

Contents

Description

Ceanothus tomentosus is an erect shrub (occasionally tree-like) approaching 3 m in maximum height. The woody parts are reddish or brown, especially when new. The evergreen leaves are alternately arranged, elliptic to oval in shape, dark green and with short hairs on the top and woolly on the undersides. The leaves have a petiole 1 to 3 mm long, with the leaf blade 10 to 25 mm long, 5 to 12 mm wide. The margins of the leaves are serrated with 40 to 60 tiny glandular teeth. The inflorescence is a cluster several centimeters long of pale blue to deep blue flowers. The fruit is a lobed capsule a few millimeters long which is sticky when new. [2] [3]

Characteristics

Diagnostic features include the leaves being 3-ribbed from the base, the leaf veins being more or less obscured by the hairs, and the teeth on the edge of the leaf being tipped with glands, which sets it apart from plants like Ceanothus cyaneus . The twigs on this species are also flexible and not thorn-like, as opposed to species like Ceanothus leucodermis with rigid, thorn-like twigs. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and phenology

This species was described by Charles Christopher Parry in 1889. It is within the Ceanothus subgenus Ceanothus. [3] The specific epithet tomentosus refers to the dense, interwoven trichomes on the plant. [5]

Although the Ceanothus subgenera vary in their preference to sprout from lignotubers (resprouting) versus seeds (nonsprouting) after fire, Ceanothus tomentosus exhibits both resprouting and nonsprouting plants across its range. Plants in the Sierra Nevada section of the distribution resprout after fire, while plants in the Southern California area of distribution are non-sprouters. Nonsprouting populations tended to have an earlier onset of flowering as well. [6]

Budding and flowering Ceanothus tomentosus 31275666.jpg
Budding and flowering

Distribution and habitat

This species is distributed in both the United States and Mexico. In the United States, it is found in the state of California, in the Peninsular Ranges of Southern California, but also with a disjunct distribution in a portion of the north and central Sierra Nevada and its foothills. [2] In Mexico, this species is found in the northwestern part of Baja California, from Tijuana to the southern end of the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. [7]

This plant primarily occurs on open sites on slopes, ridges, chaparral, and coniferous forest. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ceanothus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Ceanothus is a genus of about 50–60 species of nitrogen-fixing shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). Common names for members of this genus are buckbrush, California lilac, soap bush, or just ceanothus. "Ceanothus" comes from Ancient Greek: κεάνωθος (keanōthos), which was applied by Theophrastus to an Old World plant believed to be Cirsium arvense.

<i>Adenostoma fasciculatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Adenostoma fasciculatum, commonly known as chamise or greasewood, is a flowering plant native to California and Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the California chaparral ecoregion. Chamise produces a specialized lignotuber underground and at the base of the stem, known as a burl, that allow it to resprout after fire has off burned its stems. It is noted for its greasy, resinous foliage, and its status as one of California's most iconic chaparral shrubs.

<i>Rhus ovata</i> Species of tree

Rhus ovata, commonly known as sugar bush or sugar sumac, is a shrub or small tree found growing in the canyons and slopes of the chaparral and related ecosystems in Southern California, Arizona, Baja California and Baja California Sur. It is a long lived-plant, up to 100 years, and has dense evergreen foliage that make it conspicuous. It is closely related to and hybridizes with the lemonade sumac.

<i>Ceanothus integerrimus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus integerrimus, known by the common name deer brush, is a species of woody shrub in the family Rhamnaceae, native to the western United States in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington. It grows in montane chaparral and woodlands regions, in hardwood forests, and in fir, spruce, and Ponderosa pine plant communities, being most abundant in the California chaparral and woodlands and Sierra Nevada.

<i>Ceanothus arboreus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus arboreus is a species of perennial shrub to small tree in the family Rhamnaceae, commonly known as the feltleaf ceanothus, island ceanothus, and island mountain lilac. It is the largest member of the California lilacs, and is characterized with glossy, dark green foliage that is adorned by pale blue to white flowers in bloom. It is endemic to the Channel Islands of California and Guadalupe Island in Mexico, only being re-discovered on Guadalupe Island after the elimination of feral goats.

<i>Ceanothus cyaneus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus cyaneus is a species of flowering shrub in the genus Ceanothus known commonly as the San Diego buckbrush and Lakeside ceanothus. This species is found in the Peninsular Ranges of San Diego County, California, and known from one occurrence in Baja California. It is characterized by brilliant blue flowers, glossy green foliage, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful members of the genus.

<i>Brickellia californica</i> Species of flowering plant

Brickellia californica, known by the common name California brickellbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.

<i>Ceanothus fresnensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus fresnensis is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name Fresno mat. It is endemic to California, where it grows in central sections of the Sierra Nevada and its foothills. Its habitat includes dry woodland and coniferous forest.

<i>Ceanothus pauciflorus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus pauciflorus, known by the common name Mojave ceanothus, is a species of flowering shrub in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico, where it grows primarily in shrubland communities at moderate to high elevations. It is characterized by oppositely arranged leaves, corky stipules and white flowers. It was formerly known as Ceanothus greggii.

Ceanothus lemmonii is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name Lemmon's ceanothus. It is endemic to California, where it grows on the wooded slopes of the Inner North Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada foothills to the west and east, respectively, of the Sacramento Valley.

<i>Ceanothus leucodermis</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus leucodermis, with the common names chaparral whitethorn or chaparral white thorn, is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. This Ceanothus is an importance browse for several types of ungulate, such as the mule deer and bighorn sheep, who prefer the new growth and shoots to the older, spiny parts.

<i>Ceanothus oliganthus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus oliganthus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name hairy ceanothus or hairy-leaf ceanothus.

<i>Ceanothus parvifolius</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus parvifolius is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name littleleaf ceanothus or littleleaf whitethorn. This deciduous plant is characterized by its blue flowers and flat topped habit, and is endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, where it grows on mountain flats and coniferous forest.

<i>Ceanothus prostratus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus prostratus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. Common names include prostrate ceanothus, pinemat, and mahala mat. It is native to the Pacific Northwest of the United States where it grows in coniferous forests and open plateaus.

<i>Ceanothus pumilus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus pumilus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common names dwarf ceanothus and Siskiyou mat.

<i>Ceanothus roderickii</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus roderickii is a rare species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name Pine Hill ceanothus. It is endemic to western El Dorado County, California, where it grows in the chaparral and woodlands of the Sierra Nevada foothills, such as the Pine Hill Ecological Reserve. It is named after 20th century California flora explorer, botanist, and arboretum director Wayne Roderick.

<i>Ceanothus velutinus</i> Species of tree

Ceanothus velutinus, with the common names snowbrush ceanothus, red root, and tobacco brush, is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Colorado, where it grows in several habitat types including coniferous forest, chaparral, and various types of woodland.

<i>Ceanothus verrucosus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus verrucosus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common names wart-stem ceanothus, barranca brush, coast lilac and white coast ceanothus. It is endemic to northwestern Baja California and San Diego County, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and coastal succulent scrub habitats. It is considered a rare species north of the international border, as most of the valuable coastal land that hosts this plant in the San Diego area has been claimed for development. In California, several extant populations still remain scattered around the region, such as one protected at Torrey Pines.

<i>Quercus turbinella</i> Species of plant

Quercus turbinella is a North American species of oak known by the common names shrub oak, turbinella oak, shrub live oak, and gray oak. It is native to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada in the western United States. It also occurs in northern Mexico.

<i>Deinandra mohavensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Deinandra mohavensis, commonly known as Mojave tarplant or Mojave tarweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.

References

  1. "Ceanothus tomentosus". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-01-21. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Burge, Dylan O.; Wilken, Dieter H. (2020). "Ceanothus tomentosus". Jepson eFlora (8 ed.). Jepson Flora Project. Archived from the original on 2017-06-08. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Schmidt, Clifford L.; Wilken, Dieter. "Ceanothus tomentosus". Flora of North America. 12: 89.
  4. "Ceanothus key to species". Jepson eFlora. Archived from the original on 2021-05-15. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  5. "Ceanothus tomentosus". www.sci.sdsu.edu. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  6. Schwilk, Dylan W.; Ackerly, David D. (2005). "Is there a cost to resprouting? Seedling growth rate and drought tolerance in sprouting and nonsprouting Ceanothus (Rhamnaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 92 (3): 404–410. doi: 10.3732/ajb.92.3.404 . ISSN   1537-2197. PMID   21652416.
  7. Rebman, J. P.; Gibson, J.; Rich, K. (2016). "Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). San Diego Society of Natural History. 45: 242.