Ceanothus dentatus description

Ceanothus dentatus

J. Torrey & A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 268. 1838

Cropleaf Ceanothus

Ceanothus dentatus var. floribundus (W. J. Hooker) J. Trelease; Ceanothus floribundus W. J. Hooker;Ceanothus papillosus J. Torrey & A. Gray var. floribundus C. C. Parry

Description:

Habit: Shrubs to 1.5 m.

Stems: +/-ascending, densely branched, not rooting at nodes; twigs dark-gray, round, roughened, hairy, rigid.

Leaves: evergreen, alternate; usually crowded or clustered; stipules thin, deciduous; petioles to 2 mm; blades elliptic to narrowly oblong or linear, 0.5--1.5 (2.5) x 0.2--1.3 cm, bases rounded, 1-veined, margins strongly revolute, appea ring +/- crenate, usually glandular-papillate, tips usually truncate or notched due to infolding, abaxially pale green, densely matted-hairy, adaxially dark green, usually hairy, +/- plane.

Inflorescences: axillary or terminal, raceme-like, to 2.0 cm.

Flowers: deep blue.

Fruits: globose, +/- 4 mm broad, smooth; horns 0; valves minutely crested

Cytology:

Flowering: spring--early summer.

Habitat: Coastal sandy hills, slopes, flats near the coast; below 1500 m.

Range: Calif. [CCo, SCoRO of s. Santa Cruz, Monterey & n. San Luis Obispo Cos.] . View Distribution Map.

Other Information:

This species apparently may hybridize and introgress with C. thyrsiflorus, C. griseus, C. foliosus and C. papillosus where they are compatric. A few, poorly defined, plants with leaf blad es +/- broader and less revolute margins with few or no glands have been recognized as var. floribundus (W. J. Hooker) J. Trelease. Shrubs, on the Monterey Peninsula, with leaves 3-veined from the base have been recognized as X C. lobb ianus W. J. Hooker [C. dentatus var. lobbianus. J. Trelease] which may be C. dentatus X C. griseus. This entity is horticulturally useful in the British Isles and on the west coast of the United S tates.

If you have any comments or information regarding this species, please send mail to Dr. Schmidt.