Ceanothus sonomensis
Encyclopedia
Ceanothus sonomensis, with the common name Sonoma ceanothus, is a rare species of shrub
in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae
. It is endemic to northern California
.
is a small cluster of blue or lavender flowers, and the fruit is a ridged, horned capsule about half a centimeter long.
Range. Most of its 10 or so occurrences are located in Sonoma County
, and one remains in Napa County. Ceanothus sonomensis is a member of the chaparral
plant community in the California montane chaparral and woodlands
sub-ecoregion
.
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 northern 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...
.
Description
The Ceanothus sonomensis shrub is erect in form, approaching a maximum height of one meter. The flat evergreen leaves are oppositely arranged, each oval to rounded in shape with spiny teeth along the edges. They are shiny green on top, paler and fuzzy on the undersides. 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 blue or lavender flowers, and the fruit is a ridged, horned capsule about half a centimeter long.
Distribution
Ceanothus sonomensis is known only from the Hood MountainHood Mountain
Mount Hood, also known as Hood Mountain is a mountain near the southeastern edge of Santa Rosa, California at the northeast of the Sonoma Valley and attains a height of . The originally name was Mount Wilikos, an Indian name meaning "willows."...
Range. Most of its 10 or so occurrences are located in Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
, and one remains in Napa County. Ceanothus sonomensis is a member of the 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...
plant community in the California montane chaparral and woodlands
California montane chaparral and woodlands
The California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion covers , including the mountains of the Transverse, Peninsular, and Santa Lucia Ranges of California. It is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers...
sub-ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
.