| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Perennial, shrub, tree
Stem: bark often peeling distinctively
Leaves simple, generally cauline, alternate, opposite, rarely whorled, evergreen or deciduous, often leathery, petioled or not; stipules 0
Inflorescence: raceme, panicle, cyme, or flowers solitary, generally bracted; pedicels often with 2 bractlets
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; sepals generally 4–5, generally free; petals generally 4–5, free or fused; stamens 8–10, free, filaments rarely appendaged, anthers awned or not, dehiscent by pores or slits; nectary generally at ovary base, disk-like; ovary superior or inferior, chambers generally 1–5, placentas axile or parietal, ovules 1–many per chamber, style 1, stigma head- to funnel-like or lobed
Fruit: capsule, drupe, berry
Seeds generally many, sometimes winged
Genera in family: ± 100 genera, 3000 species: generally worldwide except deserts; some cultivated, especially Arbutus, Arctostaphylos, Rhododendron, Vaccinium
Reference: [Wallace 1975 Wasmann J Biol 33:1–88; 1975 Bot Not 128:286–298]
Subfamilies Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Vaccinioideae sometimes treated as families. Nongreen plants obtain nutrition from green plants through fungal intermediates.
Perennial, evergreen, rhizomed
Leaves ± basal, reniform, ovate, ± round, elliptic, or obovate, ± entire to round- or sharp-toothed, petioled
Inflorescence: raceme, symmetric; peduncle smooth, glabrous; bracts generally 1–several, ovate or lanceolate
Flower: radial, ± closed or bilateral, ± open, parts in 5's, free; petals without tubercles, upper 2 generally forming hood over upturned stamens; stamens 10, filaments generally widened at base, smooth, glabrous, anther pores generally on tubes; disk 0; ovary superior, style straight, ± included, or downwardly curved, exserted, stigma peltate, with 5 spreading lobes above a prominent, reflexed collar or not peltate, with 5 ± erect lobes projecting beyond a delicate, reflexed collar
Fruit: capsule, pendent; valves opening from base to tip, margins fibrous
Species in genus: ± 15–20 species: generally circumboreal, high mtns of C.Am, Sumatra
Etymology: (Latin: little pear, ± from leaf shape)
| Native |
Plant sometimes ± leafless
Leaf generally < 10 cm; blade ovate to elliptic, ± entire; upper surface dark green, lower surface often purple; veins white-bordered (leaf blade sometimes oblanceolate, entire to prominently toothed; upper surface dull green, lower surface often bluish waxy when young, veins not bordered)
Inflorescence < 4 dm including peduncle; bracts < pedicels, lanceolate
Flower bilateral, ± open; sepals generally >> 2 mm, ovate, acute; petals greenish, cream-white, or pink; anthers 2.0–5.5 mm, pore tubes ± 1/3 as long; style downwardly curved, exserted, stigma lobes ± erect
Chromosomes: 2n=46
Ecology: Common. Dry ponderosa-pine forest
Elevation: 400–2400 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Francisco Bay Area, Outer South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Warner Mountains
Distribution outside California: to sw Canada, New Mexico
[f. aphylla (Sm.) Camp; subsp. dentata (Sm.) Piper]
Reference: [Haber 1987 Syst Bot 12:324–335]
Variable, may hybridize with other species (pollen, seeds sometimes abortive).