Adolphia californica
Adolphia californica | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Rosales |
Family: | Rhamnaceae |
Genus: | Adolphia |
Species: | A. californica |
Binomial name | |
Adolphia californica S.Wats. | |
Adolphia californica, known by the common names California adolphia, California prickbush and spineshrub, is a species of flowering shrub in the buckthorn family. [1]
Distribution
The shrub is native to the coastal plains and Peninsular Ranges foothills in northwestern Baja California and San Diego County in Southern California. [1]
It is found in chaparral and coastal sage scrub plant communities, at elevations below 400 metres (1,300 ft). [1]
Description
Adolphia californica is a branching shrub not exceeding 1 metre (3.3 ft) in height. [1]
It has thick hairless to fuzzy dark green twigs. The stiff twigs bear sharp thorns. The very sparse leaves are each less than a centimeter long and oval-shaped with a pointed or rounded tip.
The shrub blooms abundantly in clusters of flowers along all the branches. Each flower is a star-shaped bowl of five pointed cream-colored sepals. Between the sepals are five tiny spoon-shaped cream-colored petals. The bloom period is December to April. [1]
The fruit is a spherical capsule about half a centimeter across.
Conservation
Within California Adolphia californica is a Critically endangered species, listed by the California Native Plant Society on the Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. [2] It is threatened by urbanization, road construction, non-native plants, and grazing. [2]
See also
- Flora of the California chaparral and woodlands
- Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges
References
External links
- Calflora Database: Adolphia californica (California adolphia)
- Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Adolphia californica
- USDA Plants Profile for Adolphia californica (California prickbush)
- UC CalPhotos gallery: Adolphia californica images