Biology:Arctostaphylos manzanita

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Short description: Species of tree

Arctostaphylos manzanita
Arctostaphylos manzanita 3.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Arctostaphylos
Species:
A. manzanita
Binomial name
Arctostaphylos manzanita
Parry

One of many species of manzanita, Arctostaphylos manzanita has the common names common manzanita and whiteleaf manzanita.

Arctostaphylos manzanita is endemic to California , where it can be found in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. It is common on chaparral slopes and low-elevation coniferous forest ecosystems.

Description

The Arctostaphylos manzanita leaves are bright shiny green, wedge-shaped and pointed. The small white flowers, only a quarter inch long, are cup-shaped and hang upside down. The fruits are berries which are white when new and turn red-brown as the summer wears on. The bark on the long, crooked branches is reddish, making the shrub easily identifiable as a manzanita. It grows into a twisted tree about 15 feet tall.

Like other manzanitas, this species has a hard, attractive wood that has proved useful for making tools and as firewood. The fruit is edible and has a pleasant tartness, but the seeds cause gastrointestinal upset if eaten in large quantities. It has historically been brewed into a cider, including by Native Americans.[1] They are also consumed by bears and chipmunks.[2]

Subspecies

There are several subspecies:

  • A. m. elegans - Konocti manzanita
  • A. m. glaucescens - Whiteleaf manzanita
  • A. m. laevigata - Contra Costa manzanita
  • A. m. manzanita - Whiteleaf manzanita
  • A. m. roofii - Roof's manzanita
  • A. m. wieslanderi - Wieslander's manzanita

See also

References

  1. ↑ Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 377. ISBN 0-394-73127-1. https://archive.org/details/westernforests00whit/page/377. 
  2. ↑ Peattie, Donald Culross (1953). A Natural History of Western Trees. New York: Bonanza Books. p. 672. 
  • Casebeer, M. (2004). Discover California Shrubs. Sonora, California: Hooker Press. ISBN:0-9665463-1-8

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q2709035 entry




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