Ceanothus fendleri description

Ceanothus fendleri

A. Gray, Pl. Fendl. 29. 1849

C. fendleri var. venosus W. Trelease
C. fendleri var. viridis A. Gray

Description:

Habit: Shrub to 2.5 m.

Stems: low-spreading to erect, not rooting at nodes; twigs greenish-brown, round, smooth, canescent, often glaucous, rigid, spinescent

Leaves: evergreen, alternate; not clustered;stipules thin, deciduous; petioles 2--4 mm; blades ovate to narrow elliptical,0.8--2.6(3.2) x 0.4--1.4 cm; bases cuneate to rounded, evenly 3-veined, margins not revolute, entire, rarely glandular-toothed near apex, tips acute to rounded, abaxially pale green, puberulent, especially along veins, adaxially dark green, appressed, silky hairs or nearly glabrous, plane.

Inflorescences: terminal or axillary, raceme-like cluster of sessile umbels, 0.9--3.9 cm.

Flowers: white.

Fruits: globose, 4--6 mm broad, roughened, horns 0; valves crests +/- minute.

Cytology:

Flowering: in early summer.

Habitat: open woods, dry hillsides, open valleys, usually rocky soil or ledges; 1600--2800 m.

Range: Ariz., Colo, N.Mex., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wyo; Mexico in Chihuahua, Coahila. View Distribution Map.

Other Information:

re: C. subsericeus P. A. Rydberg, Bull. Torr. Club 31:564 1904 Weber and McMinn comment that C. subsericeus is the product of local hybridization between C. herbaceus and C. fendleri. [W. A. Weber 1976], [H. E. McMinn 1942]. Harrington treats this entity as synonomous with C. fendleri. [H. D. Harrington 1954]

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