| Ceanothus impressus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus: | Ceanothus |
| Species: | C. impressus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ceanothus impressus | |
Ceanothus impressus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name Santa Barbara ceanothus.[2][3] It is endemic to the Central Coast of California, where it is known from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties.[4] It occurs in chaparral habitat.[2]
This is an upright shrub with a dense or open form, reaching up to 3 meters in height. The evergreen leaves are about 2 centimeters long and oval shaped, highly ridged and wrinkled and curling under along the edges. They may be gland-dotted and have grayish hairy undersides. The shrub flowers abundantly in inflorescences of small blue flowers. The fruit is a crested spherical capsule about 4 millimeters wide.[4][5]
There are two varieties:[4]
- C. impressus var. impressus – generally more compact with intricate branching and cupped leaves
- C. impressus var. nipomensis (Nipomo ceanothus) – a rare variety, more open in shape, known only from a region of San Luis Obispo County
