Common Shrubs of Chaparral and Associated Ecosystems of Southern California
Figure 41-Rubber rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. Figure 43-Bushrue, Cneoridium dumosum (McMinn 1939). bernardinus (McMinn 1939). Clematis ligusticifolia Nutt. Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae) WESTERN CLEMATIS (fig. 42). Woody vine, climbing over shrubs and trees, to 12 m tall; leaves compound, oppo- site, glabrous, divided into 5 to 7 leaflets, leaflets lance shaped or ovate to palmate, leaf sometimes not divided or otherwise leaflets may be subdivided, nearly entire or 3-lobed, 2 to 11 cm long, 2 to 9 cm long; flowers, June through August, small, in dense clusters; fruit, numerous, hairy-tailed akene, forming fluffy powderpuff-like ball, very noticeable in fall. If leaves are divided into threes, it is pipestem clematis, C. lasiantha Nutt. Distribution: Along streams, moist places, below 2100 m (7000 ft), in many plant communities; coast ranges and Sierra Nevada to mountains of southern California. Fire Response Mechanism: Probably nonsprouter or poor sprouter from rootstock, but prolific seeder. Wildlife Value: Low value, mule deer browse. Cultural Value: Infusions used by early settlers for sores and cuts on horses, by Native Americans for sore throat, colds (Munz and Keck 1959). Cneoridium dumosum (Nutt.) Hook. Rue Family (Rutaceae) BUSHRUE (fig. 43). Low evergreen shrub, to 2 m tall, dense- ly branched, becoming grayish, branchlets slender; leaves simple, more or less oblong, opposite, may be crowded at tips of branchlets, 1 to 2.5 cm long, 1 to 3 mm wide, somewhat resin-dotted foliage strong scented; flowers, November to Figure 42-Western clematis, Clematis ligusticifolia (McMinn 1939). 33 Figure 44-Summer-holly, Comarostaphylis diversifolia (McMinn Figure 45-American dogwood, Cornus stolonifera.
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