Ceanothus foliosus
Encyclopedia
Ceanothus foliosus is a species of flowering shrub
known by the common name Wavyleaf ceanothus.
is endemic to California
, where its distribution extends throughout the Coast Ranges and the northern end of the Peninsular Ranges
.
The petite inflorescence
s are borne on naked stalks and are bunched with blue or lavender flowers with prominent yellow anthers
. The fruit is a capsule about 4 millimeters long containing usually 3 seeds.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
known by the common name Wavyleaf ceanothus.
Distribution
This CeanothusCeanothus
Ceanothus L. is a genus of about 50–60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. The genus is confined to North America, the center of its distribution in California, with some species in the eastern United States and southeast Canada, and others extending as far south...
is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where its distribution extends throughout the Coast Ranges and the northern end of the Peninsular Ranges
Peninsular Ranges
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska...
.
Description
The Ceanothus foliosus shrub may be tall and erect but is generally under two meters in height; it may also be low-lying and sprawling. It has sparse small evergreen leaves only one to two centimeters in length and toothed along the edges with glandular knobs.The petite inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are borne on naked stalks and are bunched with blue or lavender flowers with prominent yellow anthers
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
. The fruit is a capsule about 4 millimeters long containing usually 3 seeds.