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Arctostaphylos diversifolia Parry

Modern name

Comarostaphylis diversifolia (Parry) Greene

Synonyms

Comarostaphylis diversifolia (Parry) Greene

An evergreen shrub or small tree 6 to 18 ft high; young shoots whitish with down. Leaves 1 to 212 in. long, oval to oblong, the base tapered, the apex blunt to rounded, finely toothed, glabrous and shining above, white-downy beneath, margins revolute; stalk 14 in. long. Flower white, 14 in. across, borne on terminal pendulous racemes 3 to 412 in. long; stalks and calyx downy, ovary densely hairy. Fruit red, berry-like, subglobose, 14 in. wide, consisting of a three- to five-celled stone densely covered with pulpy granules.

Native of S. California; it was introduced to Kew before 1896 and flowered there in March and April, but is not in the collection at the present time. It is tender.



From the Supplement (Vol. V)

This is one of a few species, mostly Mexican, which have been detached from Arctostaphylos to form the genus Comarostaphylis, differing from it chiefly in having minutely warted (papillate) fruits, as in Arbutus.

Genus

Arctostaphylos

Other species in the genus