Comarostaphylis diversifolia

Comarostaphylis diversifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Comarostaphylis
Species:	C. diversifolia
Binomial name
Comarostaphylis diversifolia (Parry) Greene

Comarostaphylis diversifolia, known by the common names summer holly and California comarostaphylos, is a species of shrub in the heath family. ^[1]

It is native to Southern California and northern Baja California, where it grows in coastal chaparral habitat.

Description

Comarostaphylis diversifolia is an erect shrub which can exceed 4 metres (13 ft) in height. Its bark is gray and shreddy and the tough, evergreen leaves are oval in shape and sometimes toothed.

The inflorescence is a raceme of urn-shaped flowers very similar to those of the related shrubs, the manzanitas. The fruit is a bright red, juicy drupe with a bumpy skin.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies:

• Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia - native to the coastal hills of Southern California and Baja California. ^[2]
• Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. planifolia - native to the Channel Islands of California and the Transverse Ranges north of Los Angeles. ^[3]

See also

• California chaparral and woodlands
  • California coastal sage and chaparral

References

1. CalFlora Database: Comarostaphylis diversifolia . accessed 8.2.2013
2. CalFlora Database: Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia
3. CalFlora Database: Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. planifolia

External links

• Media related to Comarostaphylis diversifolia at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Comarostaphylis diversifolia at Wikispecies
• Jepson Manual Treatment: Comarostaphylis diversifolia
• USDA Plants Profile
• Comarostaphylis diversifolia — U.C. Photo gallery