Ceanothus maritimus
Encyclopedia
Ceanothus maritimus, with the common name Maritime ceanothus, is a species of shrub
in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae
. It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California
, where it is known from only a few occurrences in the vicinity of Hearst Ranch
. It shares the same range as the similarly rare Ceanothus hearstiorum
, growing on the coastal bluffs.
is a small cluster of deep blue to off-white flowers. The fruit is a capsule about 6 millimeters long which is generally rounded with tiny horns on top.
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 the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae
Rhamnaceae
Rhamnaceae, the Buckthorn family, is a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs and some vines.The family contains 50-60 genera and approximately 870-900 species. The Rhamnaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are more common in the subtropical and tropical regions...
. It is endemic to San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
, where it is known from only a few occurrences in the vicinity of Hearst Ranch
Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California, United States. It was designed by architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947 for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated the property to...
. It shares the same range as the similarly rare Ceanothus hearstiorum
Ceanothus hearstiorum
Ceanothus hearstiorum is a species of flowering shrub known by the common names Hearst Ranch buckbrush and Hearst's ceanothus. This Ceanothus is endemic to California, where it grows wild only on the hilly coastline of San Luis Obispo County.-Description:This shrub is generally wider than it is...
, growing on the coastal bluffs.
Description
The Ceanothus maritimus is a spreading or ascending shrub under a meter in height with reddish gray bark aging to gray. The firm evergreen leaves are oppositely arranged, each oval or oblong in shape with a pointed, flat, or notched tip. The leaves are under 2 centimeters long, shiny green on top and woolly underneath, with their edges curled under and sometimes toothed. 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 small cluster of deep blue to off-white flowers. The fruit is a capsule about 6 millimeters long which is generally rounded with tiny horns on top.