Ceanothus divergens description

Ceanothus divergens

C. C. Parry, Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. Sci. 5: 173. 1889

Calistoga ceanothus

C. prostratus G. Bentham var. divergens K. Brandegee

Description:

Habit: Shrubs to 1.5 m.

Stems: ascending to erect, not rooting at nodes; twigs red-brown with whitish bloom or not, round, smooth, glabrous, +/-rigid.

Leaves: evergreen, opposite; not clustered; stipules thickened, persistent; petioles to 2 mm; blades oblong to obovate, 1.3--2.5 x 0.6--1.6 cm, bases cuneate, 1-veined, margins somewhat revolute and undulate, 5--8 spiny teeth, tips +/- truncate, abaxially grayish, hairy on veins, microscopically canescent between, adaxially green, glabrous, plane.

Inflorescences: axillary, raceme-like, to 3 cm.

Flowers: deep blue to purple.

Fruits: subglobose, 5--6 mm broad, smooth, horns subapical, erect; valve crests minute.

Cytology: 2 n = 24 (M.A. Nobs 1963)

Flowering: in spring.;

Habitat: chaparral, dry, serpentinite or volcanic slopes, below 500 m.

Range: Calif. [NCoR, Napa Co.] . RARE View Distribution Map.

Other Information:

California Native Plant Society List: 1B; R-E-D Code: 3-2-3; threatened by development in The Geysers geothermal area. C. divergens apparently is closely related to C. confusus and C. purpureus . This complex is in need of study. [Skinner, M. W. and B. M. Pavlik, eds.. 1994]

If you have any comments or information regarding this species, please send mail to Dr. Schmidt.