CEANOTHUS IN IOWA 
237 
3. Ceanothus ovatus piihescens T. & G. PI. VIII, fig. 2, a-o. 
The standing of the form with the persistent pubescence on the 
leaves, peduncles and twigs has been more or less in dispute. Long 
ago Torrey and Gray recognized a variety to which later the 
name pubescence was given. The leaves, especially on the veins, 
the young branches, and the peduncles, are pubescent, and the 
leaves are usually smaller and the pubescence ferruginous. This 
describes very well the commoner form in Iowa. More recently 
this form has been assigned the rank of a species by several auth- 
ors On the other hand, other authors do not even 
recognize the variety, but consider all the forms under the specific 
name ovatus 
Surface. — The flowers and flower clusters, the seeds, and the 
form, base, apex, margin, venation and petiole of the leaf of this 
form agree with the type, presenting the same variations and of- 
fering no mark of distinction. None of the authors consulted, 
who describe both the species and the variety, make mention of 
these characters, but they place the emphasis on the surface of the 
leaves, and sometimes on the peduncles and twigs. The published 
references to this character show some differences, but all agree 
that more or less pubescence persists on both surfaces of the 
leaf, that on the lower being more copious. The various authors 
describe the surface of the leaf as pubescent ; densely pubes- 
cent ; copiously and permanently pubescent beneath ; per- 
manently sordid-tomentose glabrate except the veins above; vil- 
lous beneath 
Iowa specimens show considerable variation in the amount of 
pubescence, but the great majority are readily referable to this 
variety, for even the fully matured leaves retain much of the 
pubescence. Speciments from Lyon, Harrison, and Shelby coun- 
ties have leaves densely pubescent on both surfaces, but in the great 
majority of cases the lower surface is quite densely pubescent 
(the pubescence being chiefly on the veins), while the upper sur- 
face is provided with straighter hairs, which may be scant and 
scattered, or quite crowded. The twigs and peduncles in all cases 
retain much of the dense pubescence until late in the season. The 
pubescence is usually brownish or rusty, but sometimes almost 
white. 
Form. — In form the leaves of Iowa specimens are usually 
oblong or oblong-ovate, but they vary from broadly oblong, to 
oblong-ovate, obovate, oblanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, linear-lance- 
olate, and linear-oblong. 
