Arctostaphylos virgata
Encyclopedia
Arctostaphylos virgata is a species of manzanita
known by the common names Bolinas manzanita and Marin manzanita.
, where it is known from only about 20 occurrences in the forests and chaparral
of the coastal hills. It is a dominant shrub
in some spots in the maritime chaparral plant community at Point Reyes National Seashore
. Like many other species in this type of plant community, it is dependent on wildfire
and its survival is threatened by fire suppression.
is a dense cluster of urn-shaped manzanita flowers. The fruit is a sticky, bristly drupe
about 7 centimeters wide.
Arctostaphylos
Arctostaphylos is a genus of plants comprised by the manzanitas and bearberries. They are shrubs or small trees.There are about 60 species of Arctostaphylos, ranging from ground-hugging arctic, coastal, and mountain species to small trees up to 6 m tall. Most are evergreen , with small oval...
known by the common names Bolinas manzanita and Marin manzanita.
Distribution
It is endemic to Marin County, CaliforniaMarin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
, where it is known from only about 20 occurrences in the forests and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
of the coastal hills. It is a dominant shrub
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...
in some spots in the maritime chaparral plant community at Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore is a park preserve located on the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County, California, USA. As a national seashore, it is maintained by the US National Park Service as a nationally important nature preserve within which existing agricultural uses are allowed to continue...
. Like many other species in this type of plant community, it is dependent on wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
and its survival is threatened by fire suppression.
Description
Arctostaphylos virgata is a large shrub, reaching at least two meters tall and known to exceed 5 meters in height, becoming treelike. Its twisted branches are covered in deep red bark. The smaller twigs are coated in woolly fibers and studded with glandular bristles which exude sticky resins. The shiny green leaves are rough and sticky in texture, oval to widely lance-shaped, and up to 5 centimeters long. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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 dense cluster of urn-shaped manzanita flowers. The fruit is a sticky, bristly drupe
Drupe
In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
about 7 centimeters wide.