Stems: erect, not rooting at nodes; twigs reddish-brown or gray, round, sometimes densely tuberculate, rusty tomentose or not, flexible.
Leaves: evergreen, alternate; not clustered; stipules thin, deciduous, some +/- persistent; petioles 4--5 mm; blade ovate to elliptic, 1.2--2.6 x 0.6--1.3 cm, bases usually rounded, 3- or rarely 1-veined, margins not revolute, usually gl andular-serrate or glandular-dentate, tips obtuse, abaxially light or gray-green, may be whitish to brownish tomentose, or pubescent, especially on veins, adaxially dark green, finely pubescent, plane.
Inflorescences: axillary or terminal, panicle-like, 2.5--6.0 cm.
Flowers: azure-blue to nearly white.
Fruits: subglobose, slightly lobed at summit, +/- 4 mm broad, sticky when young, horns 0; valves crested.
1. Leaf-blades glandular-serrulate, abaxially tomentose; central Sierra. . . b. C. tomentosus var. tomentosus
Ceanothus tomentosus C. C. Parry subsp.olivaceus (W. L. Jepson) P. A. Munz
Stems: erect, twigs red or gray, round, young shoots usually not rusty tomentose,rarely densely tuberculate, flexible.
Leaves: evergreen, alternate; stipules thin, deciduous, some +/- persistent; petioles 4--5 mm; blade ovate to elliptic, 1.2--2.6 x 0.6--1.3 cm, bases usually rounded, 3- or rarely 1-veined, margins usually glandular dentate, tips obtuse, abaxially abaxially gray-green, hairy esp on veins, not tomentose, adaxially dark green, plane, finely pubescent.
Inflorescences: axillary or terminal, panicle-like, 2.5--6.0 cm.
Flowers: azure-blue to nearly white.
Fruits: subglobose, slightly lobed at summit, sticky when young, +/- 4 mm broad, horns 0; valves crested.
Cytology:
Flowering: in early spring.
Habitat: chaparral of low hills and mountains in southern portion of range; below 1100 m.
Range: Calif. [SCo, SnBr, PR]; Mexico in n Baja California View Distribution Map.
Ceanothus oliganthus T. Nuttall ex J. Torrey & A. Gray var. tomentosus K. Brandegee
Stems: erect, twigs reddish or gray, round, young shoots rusty tomentose, flexible.
Leaves: evergreen, alternate; stipules thin, deciduous, some +/- persistent; petioles 4--5 mm; blade ovate to elliptic, 1.2--2.6 x 0.6--1.3 cm, bases usually rounded, 3- or rarely 1-veined, margins usually glandular-serrate, tips obtuse, abaxially whitish or brownish tomentose, adaxially dark green, finely pubescent, plane.
Inflorescences: axillary or terminal, panicle-like, 2.5--6.0 cm.
Flowers: azure-blue to nearly white.
Fruits: subglobose, slightly lobed at summit, sticky when young, +/- 4 mm broad, horns 0; valves crested.
Cytology: n = 12 [M.A. Nobs in H. McMinn 1942]
Flowering: in spring to early summer.
Habitat: dry, brushy slopes, not abundant; to 1500 m;
Range: Calif.[n&c SN, Sco,] . View Distribution Map.
