Ceanothus jepsonii

{{Short description|Species of tree}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Ceanothus jepsonii 2.jpg

|genus = Ceanothus

|species = jepsonii

|authority = Greene

| status = G3

| status_system = TNC

| status_ref = {{Cite web|date=2022 |url= https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151236 |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=NatureServe Explorer |publisher=NatureServe|title= NatureServe Explorer }}

}}

File:Ceanothus jepsonii var. albiflorus.jpg

Ceanothus jepsonii is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common names musk brush and Jepson ceanothus.{{cite web|url=http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Ceanothus+jepsonii&guide=Trees&cl=US/KY/MACA&flags=not_no: |title=Ceanothus jepsonii Greene Jepson Ceanothus_ DiscoverLife }}{{cite web|url=http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6586,6589,6620|title=Jepson Manual_C. jepsonii Greene}}

Description

This species of shrub is variable, particularly across its two varieties:

  • Ceanothus jepsonii var. jepsonii is a spreading plant growing up to about half a meter tall. It bears inflorescences of blue or purple flowers and spherical fruits.
  • Ceanothus jepsonii var. albiflorus is a white-flowered variety approaching a meter in maximum height. Its fruits are more oblong.

Both varieties have firm, toothed evergreen leaves oppositely arranged, curved, often spiny (holly-like), and with their edges turned under. The flowers tend to have a musky odor.

Distribution

It is endemic to California, where it grows in dry, shrubby habitat in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Coast Ranges to the north, often on serpentine soils.

References

{{Reflist}}