wedgeleaf ceanothus
Ceanothus cuneatus

Family: Rhamnaceae.

Type: Evergreen shrub.

Branching: Opposite (unlike the other Ceanothus we have seen).

Leaves: Leaves are narrower at the bottom of the blade, broader at the end, and can be flat or even indented at the distal end. The three-veined appearance of the underside of most Ceanothus is not present here; instead, a single prominent central vein is observed. Often oriented vertically, standing upright, to control the amount of light striking the leaf, for control of water loss.

Twig: The white stems resemble the mountain whitethorn in appearance, but the branching of the wedgeleaf ceanothus branching is opposite, and its stems are not as consistently white.

Fruit & Flower: Fruits are small capsules (dry fruits that release their seeds by bursting open), usually seen singly but occasionally in clusters. They are the small brown cups pictured below.

Miscellaneous: Found in chaparral or open woodlands. Like all Ceanothus it associates with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, so its foliage is very nutrient-rich. Because of this, like some other Ceanothus, it has the common name "buckbrush" because deer like to eat its leaves.





All photos and text ©2008 Ben Haller. Permission is granted to use and reproduce these photos for any non-commercial or non-profit use as long as this original copyright notice is retained.