RHAMNACE^ 667 



2. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Eschs. Blue Myrtle. California Xilac. 



Leaves oblong or oblong-ovate, minutely glandular-serrate, smooth and lustrous 

 on the upper and paler and slightly pubescent on the lower surface, especially along 



the 3 prominent ribs, l'-l|' long, ^'-1' wide; their petioles stout, ^'-^' in length; 

 stipules membranaceous, acute. Flo^wers blue or white, appearing in early spring 

 in small pedunculate corymbs from the axils of minute deciduous bracts, and 

 collected into slender rather loose thyrsoid clusters 2'-3' long in the axils of upper 

 leaves or of small scarious bracts, and usually surmounted by the terminal leafy 

 shoot of the branch. Fruit ripening from July to December, black; seeds J^' 

 long, smooth, dark brown or nearly black. 



A tree, occasionally 35 high, with a trunk 12'-14' in diameter, dividing 5-6 

 from the ground into many small wide-spreading branches, and conspicuously angled 

 pale yellow-green branchlets slightly pubescent at first but soon-becoming glabrous; 

 more often a tall or low shrub. Bark of the trunk thin, with a bright red-brown 

 surface separating into thin narrow appressed scales. Wood close-grained, rather 

 soft, light brown, with thin darker colored sapwood. 



Distribution. Shady hillsides on the borders of the forest and often in the neigh- 

 borhood of streams; coast mountains of California from Mendocino County to the 

 valley of the San Luis Rey River; of its largest size northward, and in the Redwood 

 forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains; southward often a low shrub, frequently flower- 

 ing on the wind-swept shores of the ocean when only l-2 high. 



3. Ceanothus spinosus, Nutt. Lilac. 



Leaves rarely 3-nerved, elliptical, full and rounded, apiculate or often slightly 

 emarginate or gradually narrowed and pointed or rarely 3-lobed at the apex, 

 rounded or cuneate at the base, when they unfold villose-pubescent below along 

 the stout midribs and obscure primary veins, soon glabrous, coriaceous, usually about 

 1' long and |' wide; their petioles stout, ^'-^ long, at first villose, becoming nearly 

 glabrous; on vigorous shoots sometimes ovate, conspicuously 3-nerved, irregularly 

 serrate, with incurved apiculate teeth, or coarsely dentate and often 1^ long and |' 

 wide; stipules minute, acute. Flowers light or dark blue, very fragrant, opening 

 from March until May, in lax corymbs from the axils of acute pubescent red cadu- 



