Ceanothus confusus

J. T. Howell

Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 160. 1939.

Common names: Rincon Ridge ceanothus
EndemicConservation concern
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 104. Mentioned on page 95.

Shrubs, 0.1–0.6 m, matlike to moundlike. Stems prostrate, spreading, or weakly ascending, often rooting at proximal nodes; branchlets brown to reddish-brown, ± rigid, glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Leaves not fascicled, not crowded, shorter than internodes; petiole 0–2 mm; blade flat to ± cupped, elliptic to ± oblong or obovate, 10–20 × 5–14 mm, base obtuse to cuneate, margins thick or slightly revolute, slightly wavy, sharply dentate to spinose-dentate, teeth 3–9, apex acute or retuse, with an apical tooth, abaxial surface grayish green, strigillose on veins, adaxial surface green, dull, glabrous. Inflorescences axillary, 1.5–3 cm. Flowers: sepals, petals, and nectary blue, lavender, or purple. Capsules 4–6 mm wide, lobed; valves smooth, crested, horns subapical, prominent, erect, intermediate ridges weakly developed. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering Feb–May.
Habitat: Rocky soils apparently derived from serpentine or volcanic substrates, chaparral, oak and pine woodlands, conifer forests.
Elevation: 70–1000 m.

Discussion

Ceanothus confusus is weakly defined and perhaps best treated as a part of C. divergens (L. Abrams and R. S. Ferris 1923–1960, vol. 3). At least some populations in the Hood Mountains (Napa and Sonoma counties) include plants with the habit and leaf morphology of both species, while other, more uniform populations appear intermediate; it remains to be determined whether this pattern is a product of primary or secondary intergradation.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number.

... more about "Ceanothus confusus"
perigynous +  and epigynous +
retuse +  and acute +
Clifford L. Schmidt† +  and Dieter H. Wilken +
J. T. Howell +
obtuse +  and cuneate +
Ceanothus sect. Cerastes +
3-veined +  and veined +
not gland-dotted +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
3[-5]-veined +  and pinnate +
spinulose +, spinose +, serrate +  and entire +
denticulate +, dentate +, crenulate +, crenate +  and serrulate +
elliptic;more or less oblong or obovate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
not thorn-tipped +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Rincon Ridge ceanothus +
70–1000 m. +
Rocky soils apparently derived from serpentine or volcanic substrates, chaparral, oak and pine woodlands, conifer forests. +
subapical +
free +  and adnate +
shallowly cupulate +  and hemispheric +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
not crowded +
deciduous +  and persistent +
dentate to spinose-dentate +
purple;lavender;purple;lavender;blue +
intrastaminal +
superior +  and inferior +
not fleshy +
perigynous +  and epigynous +
pink +, usually white +  and cream blue or purple +
adnate +  and distinct +
6 +  and 5 +
clawed +, obovate +  and spatulate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Flowering Feb–May. +
2-4-carpellate +
Leafl. W. Bot. +
intermediate +
pink +, usually white +  and cream blue or purple +
distinct +
spreading +  and incurved +
6 +  and 5 +
keeled;lanceolate;deltate +
Endemic +  and Conservation concern +
ascending +, spreading +  and prostrate +
Ceanothus confusus +
Ceanothus subg. Cerastes +
species +
paniclelike +  and racemelike +
not gland-tipped +
crested +
unarmed +  and armed +
shrub +  and matlike +
polygamous +, dioecious +  and synoecious +