Lyonothamnus
Encyclopedia
Lyonothamnus is a monotypic genus of trees in the rose family
containing the single species Lyonothamnus floribundus, which is known by the common name Catalina ironwood, and the subspecies ssp. aspleniifolius and ssp. floribundus.
, where it grows in the chaparral and oak woodlands
of the rocky coastal canyons.
This is a tree growing up to 15 metres (49.2 ft) tall with peeling reddish gray or brown bark. The evergreen leaves are shiny, dark green with lighter undersides, and borne on short petioles
. The two subspecies have leaves of different leaf shapes. The inflorescence
is a cluster of woolly white flowers with many short, whiskery stamen
s. The fruit is a pair of hard follicles
.
containing one species
with two subspecies
. Studies of fossil
s have suggested that the genus once comprised several species, all but one now extinct
, which grew on the mainland in the southwestern United States.
; in drought tolerant, California native plants
, traditional, and habitat-wildlife gardens; in public landscapes and private garden settings.
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...
containing the single species Lyonothamnus floribundus, which is known by the common name Catalina ironwood, and the subspecies ssp. aspleniifolius and ssp. floribundus.
Description
Lyonothamnus is endemic to the Channel Islands of CaliforniaChannel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
, where it grows in the chaparral and oak woodlands
California chaparral and woodlands
The California chaparral and woodlands is a terrestrial ecoregion of lower northern, central, and southern California and northwestern Baja California , located on the west coast of North America...
of the rocky coastal canyons.
This is a tree growing up to 15 metres (49.2 ft) tall with peeling reddish gray or brown bark. The evergreen leaves are shiny, dark green with lighter undersides, and borne on short petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. The two subspecies have leaves of different leaf shapes. The 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...
is a cluster of woolly white flowers with many short, whiskery stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s. The fruit is a pair of hard follicles
Follicle (fruit)
In botany, a follicle is a dry unilocular many-seeded fruit formed from one carpel and dehiscing by the ventral suture in order to release seeds, such as in larkspur, magnolia, banksia, peony and milkweed....
.
Subspecies
There are two subspecies which are different in morphology.- ssp. aspleniifolius is the more common, and has leaves made up of linear leaflets which are divided into rectangular segments.
- ssp. floribundus is limited to Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, CaliforniaSanta Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, has smooth-edged leaves not divided into any leaflets or segments.
Island endemics
Lyonothamnus is currently a geographically restricted island endemic genusGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
containing one species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
with two subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. Studies of fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s have suggested that the genus once comprised several species, all but one now extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
, which grew on the mainland in the southwestern United States.
Cultivation
The Lyonothamnus ssp. aspleniifolius tree is grown in the horticulture nursery trade and used in landscape designLandscape design
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practised by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice landscape design bridges between landscape architecture and garden design.-Design scope:...
; in drought tolerant, California native plants
California native plants
California native plants are plants that existed in California prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in the late 18th century...
, traditional, and habitat-wildlife gardens; in public landscapes and private garden settings.