Characteristics Of Five San Gabriel Mountains Species Of Arctostaphylos: Stems

Characteristics Of Five San Gabriel Mountains Species Of Arctostaphylos: Stems

Species form and shape height burl/no burl rooting from branches bark twigs
gabrielensis erect shrub 1-2 m large, spheric no reddish, smooth finely tomentose
glandulosa ssp. glaucomollis erect shrub 1-2.5 m large, wide, ą flat-topped no reddish, smooth bristly; bristles long, white, not glandular
glauca erect shrub, tree-like 2-8+ m none no; except forma eremicola on desert slopes of SGM; often in pinyon-juniper woodland smooth, red-brown glabrous, ą glaucous
parryana low to medium, mounding, spreading shrub 1-2 m none; except one local population forming circular clones, rooting when buried smooth, dark red or red-brown finely tomentose or puberulent
patula low to medium, mounding, spreading shrub; often depressed by snow 1-2 m none in forma platyphylla [ours]; present in forma patula forming circular clones, rooting when buried reddish, smooth glandular, to finely glandular-bristly; glands golden, glistening

Observation of hairs requires 10x magnfication
Other characteristics

Comments
Hairs
Inflorescences, Bracts, Flowers and Fruit
Leaves
Location

Sources

CalFlora database for Arctostaphylos in Los Angeles County
James C. Hickman, Editor, The Jepson Manual, 1993
Philip A. Munz, A Flora of Southern California, 1974
Philip V. Wells, The Manzanitas of California: Also of Mexico and the World, c2000

Species	form and shape	height	burl/no burl	rooting from branches	bark	twigs
gabrielensis	erect shrub	1-2 m	large, spheric	no	reddish, smooth	finely tomentose
glandulosa ssp. glaucomollis	erect shrub	1-2.5 m	large, wide, ą flat-topped	no	reddish, smooth	bristly; bristles long, white, not glandular
glauca	erect shrub, tree-like	2-8+ m	none	no; except forma eremicola on desert slopes of SGM; often in pinyon-juniper woodland	smooth, red-brown	glabrous, ą glaucous
parryana	low to medium, mounding, spreading shrub	1-2 m	none; except one local population	forming circular clones, rooting when buried	smooth, dark red or red-brown	finely tomentose or puberulent
patula	low to medium, mounding, spreading shrub; often depressed by snow	1-2 m	none in forma platyphylla [ours]; present in forma patula	forming circular clones, rooting when buried	reddish, smooth	glandular, to finely glandular-bristly; glands golden, glistening

Go to: Keys to Identifying Selected Plant Groups in the SGM

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Updated August 4, 2002.