Comarostaphylis

Zuccarini

Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. 2: 331. 1837 ,.

Etymology: Greek komaros, arbutus, and staphyle, cluster of grapes, alluding to resemblance of fruit clusters to those of Arbutus unedo
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 8. Treatment on page 401. Mentioned on page 375, 397, 398.

Shrubs or trees, burled, (capable of sprouting after fire); bark gray to reddish, peeling to shredding [flaking, exfoliating, sometimes in patches]. Stems usually erect to spreading, rarely trailing or mat-forming, branching, glabrous or densely hairy. Leaves persistent [rarely facultatively drought-deciduous], bifacial; blade narrowly ovate to ovate or elliptic to obovate or broadly ovate, coriaceous, margins usually serrate to serrulate, rarely subentire, plane or revolute, abaxial surface usually densely gray-tomentose, rarely subglabrous, adaxial (green, shining), usually glabrous, sometimes hairy along midvein. Inflorescences racemes [panicles], solitary or clustered, 5–30-flowered. Flowers bisexual; sepals (drying) persistent, (4–)5, distinct or slightly connate, narrowly triangular to subulate or nearly acicular; petals (4–)5, (imbricate), connate for 3/4+ their lengths, white [greenish white, pale yellow, pink, or red], corolla cylindric to nearly globose; stamens 10, included; filaments dilated near base; anthers with 2 dorsal awns, dehiscent by 2 slits 1/4–1/2 as long as anthers; ovary 5-locular, (papillate); stigma slightly capitate. Drupes red [nearly black to dark purple], globose, juicy, warty, granular, or papillate (with multicellular papillae radiating ± perpendicularly outward); pyrenes 5, connate into solid, thick-walled, stonelike, globose endocarp. Seeds 5, connate. x = 13.

Distribution

Calif., Mexico, Central America.

Discussion

Arctostaphylos Adanson sect. Comarostaphylis (Zuccarini) A. Gray; Arctostaphylos subg. Comarostaphylis (Zuccarini) A. Gray

Species 10 (1 in the flora).

... more about "Comarostaphylis"
George M. Diggs Jr. +
Zuccarini +
Calif. +, Mexico +  and Central America. +
Greek komaros, arbutus, and staphyle, cluster of grapes, alluding to resemblance of fruit clusters to those of Arbutus unedo +
Abh. Math.-Phys. Cl. Königl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. +
diggs1987a +  and diggs1995a +
Undefined tribe Arbuteae +
Comarostaphylis +
Ericaceae subfam. Arbutoideae +