Ceanothus spinosus

Nuttall

in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 267. 1838.

Common names: Green-bark ceanothus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 86. Mentioned on page 79.

Shrubs, sometimes arborescent, evergreen, 2–6 m. Stems erect, not rooting at nodes; branchlets green, thorn-tipped or not, round to ± angled in cross section, rigid, glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Leaves: not fascicled; petiole 4–7 mm; blade ± cupped, elliptic to oblong, 11–35 × 8–29 mm, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, apex obtuse to weakly retuse, abaxial surface pale green, not glaucous, sometimes puberulent on midribs, adaxial surface green, shiny, glabrous; pinnately veined. Inflorescences axillary, paniclelike, 4–17 cm. Flowers: sepals, petals, and nectary pale blue to blue. Capsules 4–6 mm wide, not lobed; valves smooth, not conspicuously viscid, not or weakly crested. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering Jan–May.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, coastal sage scrub, chaparral.
Elevation: 60–900 m.

Distribution

V12 319-distribution-map.jpg

Calif., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Like Ceanothus incanus, plants of C. spinosus are polymorphic for the presence of thorn-tipped branchlets. Putative hybrids with C. thyrsiflorus and C. oliganthus var. sorediatus have been reported (M. Van Rensselaer and H. McMinn 1944).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Ceanothus spinosus"
Clifford L. Schmidt† +  and Dieter H. Wilken +
Nuttall +
Green-bark ceanothus +
Calif. +  and Mexico (Baja California). +
60–900 m. +
Rocky slopes, coastal sage scrub, chaparral. +
Flowering Jan–May. +
in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. +
Ceanothus spinosus +
Ceanothus subg. Ceanothus +
species +