Arctostaphylos pungens

Taxobox
name = "Arctostaphylos pungens"

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image_width = 230px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ericales
familia = Ericaceae
genus = "Arctostaphylos"
species = "A. pungens"
binomial = "Arctostaphylos pungens"
binomial_authority = Kunth
synonyms = "Arctostaphylos chaloneorum"
"Arctostaphylos pseudopungens"

"Arctostaphylos pungens" is a species of manzanita known by the common name pointleaf manzanita. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern to central Mexico, where it grows in chaparral and woodland, and on desert ridges. This is an erect, spreading shrub growing to heights between one and three meters. It has smooth red bark. Its smaller twigs and new leaves are lightly woolly. Mature leaves are leathery, shiny and green, oval to widely lance-shaped, and up to 4 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a spherical cluster of urn-shaped manzanita flowers. The fruit is a drupe 5 to 8 millimeters wide. It is a food source for many kinds of wildlife, and it is harvested by people and made into jam in many parts of Mexico. [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/arcpun/all.html Forest Service Ecology] ] This shrub thrives in dry, shallow, acidic soils heavy with gravel and sand, and forms relationships with mycorrhizae to obtain extra nutrients and water. The seeds require scarification by wildfire before they can germinate.

References

External links

* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3454,3522 Jepson Manual Treatment]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARPU5 USDA Plants Profile]
* [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Arctostaphylos+pungens Photo gallery]