Kingdom Plantae Family Rhamnaceae Scientific name Ceanothus parvifolius Rank Species | Order Rosales Genus Ceanothus Higher classification California lilac | |
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Similar Ceanothus diversifolius, California lilac, Ceanothus parryi, Ceanothus ophiochilus, Ceanothus confusus | ||
Ceanothus parvifolius is a species of shrub in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae known by the common name littleleaf ceanothus. It is endemic to the High Sierra Nevada of California, where it grows in moist areas in the forest.
Description
This is a spreading shrub, growing to a maximum height of just over a meter, forming a wide bush. The woody parts are reddish in color and hairless. The leaves are alternately arranged and deciduous. They are less than 2 centimeters long, mainly oval in shape and smooth-edged, sometimes with a few tiny teeth near the tip.
The plentiful inflorescences are clusters several centimeters long of flowers in shades of very pale to deep blue. The fruit is a 3-lobed smooth capsule a few millimeters long.
References
Ceanothus parvifolius Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA