Ceanothus (Ceanothus lorenzenii)
Description
Ceanothus is a genus of about 50-60 species of nitrogen-fixing shrubs or small trees in the family Rhamnaceae.Common names for members of this genus are California lilac, wild lilac, and soap bush. "Ceonothus" comes from a Greek word meaning "spiny plant",Ancient Greek: which was applied by Theophrastus (371-287 BC) to an Old World plant believed to be Cirsium arvense. The majority of the species are evergreen, but the handful of species adapted to cold winters are deciduous. The leaves are opposite or alternate (depending on species), small (typically 1–5 cm long), simple, and mostly with serrated margins. Ceanothus leaves may be arranged opposite to each other on the stem, or alternate. Alternate leaves may have either one or three main veins rising from the base of the leaf. The leaves have a shiny upper surface that feels "gummy" when pinched between the thumb and forefinger, and the roots of most species have red inner root bark.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Rosales
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Family: Rhamnaceae
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Genus: Ceanothus
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