Ceanothus microphyllus description

Ceanothus microphyllus

A. Michaux, Fl. bor.-amer. 1:154. 1803

sandflat ceanothus

Ceanothus microphyllus A. Michaux var. serpyllifolius Nuttall) A. Wood; C. serpyllifolius T. Nuttall Gen. N. Amer. pl. I: 154. 1818 € Thymeleaf ceanothus; , Class-book bot 291. 1864 ;

Description:

Habit: Shrubs to 5 dm.

Stems: decumbent to ascending not rooting at nodes; twigs reddish-green or yellow, round, viscid or not, occasionally fissured, finely puberulent, occasionally strigous, flexible.

Leaves: deciduous, alternate; clustered; stipules thin, deciduous; petioles 0.5--1 mm; blades elliptical, elliptic-ovate or obovate, 0.2--1.2 x 0.1--0.6 cm, thickened, bases cuneate, 3-veined, margins not revolute, with several glandular teeth or entire, tips rounded or obtuse, abaxially pale green, pubescent on the veins, adaxially green, glabrous, plane.

Inflorescences: axillary or terminal, umbel-like clusters, (0.5) 1.0--1.5 (2.0) cm.

Flowers: white

Fruits: subglobose, 4--5 mm broad, smooth, horns 0; valve crests 0.

Cytology:

Flowering: spring to early summer.

Habitat: sandhills, scrub oak, pinelands of coastal plain; under 100 m.

Range: Ala., Fla. and Ga. View Distribution Map.

Other Information:

Following summer rains, C. americanus may repeat bloom and where it is sympatric with C. microphyllus, hybrids and subsequent introgression have occurred. These entities apparently have been recognized in manuals as C. serphyllifolius. A comparison of type specimens indicates that only one species exists. The putative hybrids are characterized by slightly longer, wider and thinner leaves with entire margins. [N. Coile, 1988 and personal communication].

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