B47 



SNOWBRUSH 



Ceano'thus veluti'nus 



Petals 5, long-clawed, hooded, partly 

 enclosing the 5 stamens opposite them 



Outer flower parts (sepals) 5, whitish, 

 bent inward so that tips meet, united 

 below into a cuplike disk (calyx disk) 

 to which the base of the seed-producing 

 organ (ovary) and the stamens and 

 petals are attached 



Flowers small, white, numerous, in 

 showy 'clusters (panicles) which arise 

 from the axils of leaves near ends of 

 >ranches 



Twigs olive-green, buff, or brown, 

 slightly hairy 



Leaves large (up to 35in. long), alter- 

 nate, 3-ribbed from the base, thick, ever- 

 green, dark green and sticky-resinous 

 above, pale-velvety beneath, broadly 

 elliptical, blunt at tip, rounded or some- 

 what heart-shaped at base, glandular- 

 toothed around edges, on leafstalks 

 nearly X in- long 



Seed pod (capsule) somewhat globe- 

 shaped, '/it in. across, very sticky-gland- 

 ular, tipped by 3-parted threadlike 

 appendage (style), 3-celled, each cell 

 bearing one hard "seed " (nutlet), deeply 

 3-lobed on top, with crests small or 

 lacking 



Snowbrush is a shiny, smooth, evergreen shrub, commonly diffuse-spreading 

 in habit, with many crooked stems branching from the base. The specific name, 

 velutinus, refers to the soft, pale, velvety pubescence on the under surface of 

 the leaves. The common names most frequently applied to this shrub are 

 peculiarly appropriate. Snowbrush refers to the abundant fluffy masses of 

 white flowers; mountain balm to its typically montane habitat and heavy 

 balsamic odor ; "sticky laurel" to the sticky and rather glossy character of the 

 upper surface of the leathery leaves; tobacco-brush to the Indians' use of the 



