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]

CEANOTHUS

CALIFORNIA-LILAC

Clifford L. Schmidt

Shrub, small tree, prostrate to erect, thorny or not
Stem: branches generally arranged as leaves
Leaves alternate or opposite, deciduous or evergreen, petioled; blade 1–3-ribbed from base, margin entire or not
Inflorescence: generally panicle-like aggregations of umbel-like, 3-flowered clusters
Flower generally < 5 mm; hypanthium surrounding fleshy disk below ovary base, in fruit thick, not splitting; sepals generally 5, lanceolate-deltate, incurved, colored like petals, persistent; petals generally 5, hooded, white to deep blue; stamens generally 5, opposite petals; ovary superior, 3-lobed, chambers 3, each 1-ovuled, style parts 3
Fruit: capsule, ± spheric, 3-valved
Seeds 3, ± 3 mm, 1 surface convex
Species in genus: 45 species: North America, especially w
Etymology: (Greek: thorny plant)
Reference: [Rensselaer & McMinn 1942 Ceanothus Santa Barbara Bot Gard 1–308]
Hybridization common (named hybrids not recognized here); hybrid forms may not key adequately.

Native

C. cuneatus (Hook.) Nutt.

Plant prostrate to erect, < 3 m
Stem: twigs round, gray to brown, generally glabrous, becoming gray
Leaves opposite, clustered or not, evergreen, < 3.2 cm, flat; stipules persistent; petiole ± 0–3 mm; blade oblong, oblanceolate, or obovate to roundish, 1-ribbed from base, firm, tip obtuse to notched, margin entire or with spine-like teeth, upper surface dull to shiny green, ± glabrous, lower surface ± hairy on veins
Inflorescence raceme-like, < 2.5 cm
Flower white, pale blue, blue, or lavender
Fruit 4–6 mm, generally with horns near top; ridges 0 or minute
Ecology: Dry fans, slopes, ridges
Elevation: < 1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Great Central Valley)
Distribution outside California: Oregon, n Baja California

Native

var. cuneatus

BUCK BRUSH

Plant generally erect, rarely prostrate, < 3 m
Stem: twigs generally light gray, becoming gray
Leaf < 3.2 cm; petiole < 3 mm; blade oblanceolate to obovate or rounded, entire, upper surface generally dull green, glabrous, lower minutely canescent
Flower white or pale blue to lavender
Fruit 4–6 mm; horns minute, some slender; ridges 0
Chromosomes: 2n=24
Ecology: Common. Dry, rocky slopes, ridges, including sands, serpentine
Elevation: < 1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Great Central Valley)
Synonyms: var. dubius J.T. Howell; var. submontanus (Rose) McMinn; C. ramulosus (Greene) McMinn var. r
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; CVS; STBL.