RHAMNACEAE

BUCKTHORN FAMILY

John O. Sawyer, Jr. (except Ceanothus)

Shrub, vine, tree, generally erect, often thorny
Leaves simple, generally alternate, often clustered on short-shoots, generally petioled, generally stipuled; blade often 1–3-ribbed from base
Inflorescence: cyme, panicle, or flowers solitary in axils
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium subtending, surrounding, or partly fused to ovary; sepals 4 or 5; petals 0, 4, or 5, clawed; stamens 4 or 5, alternate sepals, attached to hypanthium top, each generally fitting into a petal concavity; ovary superior or partly inferior, chambers 2–5, each 1–2-ovuled, style lobes or parts 1–3
Fruit: capsule, drupe
Genera in family: 55 genera, 900 species: especially tropical, subtropical; some cultivated (Ceanothus ; Colletia , anchor-plant; Gouania ; Phylica ; Rhamnus ; Ventilago ; Ziziphus )
Reference: [Brizicky 1965 J Arnold Arbor 45:439–463]

CONDALIA

Shrub
Stem: branches alternate, rigid, 3-ranked; twigs spreading, thorn-tipped
Leaves clustered on short-shoots, deciduous; stipules deciduous; petioles ± 0 or short; blade obovate, 1-ribbed from base, entire
Inflorescence: flowers solitary or in clusters on short-shoots
Flower: hypanthium below, not surrounding ovary, becoming flat after flower, persistent below fruit; sepals 5, deciduous; petals generally 0; stamens 5; ovary spheric, strongly narrowed at base, chambers 2, each 1-ovuled, style 1
Fruit: drupe, stone 1
Seed tightly held in stone
Species in genus: 18 species: arid Am
Etymology: (A. Condal, Spanish physician, 1745–1804)
Reference: [Johnston 1962 Brittonia 14:332–368]

Native

C. globosa I.M. Johnst. var. pubescens I.M. Johnst.

Stem < 4 m; bark smooth, gray; twigs 3–13 cm, thorn-tipped, pale olive or purple, short-hairy
Leaves in clusters of 2–7; blade 3–12 mm, slightly thickened; stipules brown
Inflorescence 1–8-flowered
Flower: hypanthium 1–1.5 mm, olive or purple, short-hairy; sepals 1 mm, olive; stamens < sepals; pistil purple
Fruit 3–5 mm, black, juicy, bitter or sweet
Ecology: Uncommon. Creosote-bush scrub
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Sonoran Desert
Distribution outside California: Arizona, Mexico
Flowering time: Mar–Apr
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24 &IRR: 8, 9, 11, 13, 19, 20, 21.