H20091004-1657--Xylococcus bicolor --RPBG

Xylococcus bicolor—mission manzanita. This specimen was a early bloomer as references give the bloom period as December to February. Willis Jepson included this species within Arctostaphylos in his "Flora of California" but it is truly distinctive enough to deserve it's own genus. This photo shows two of the features that are used to identify the genus: 1) the curled edges of the leaves and, 2) the light color on the backside of leaves. Mission manzanita resprouts from its crown after fire. Wikipedia says that coyote scat is a good source of fertile seeds. Photographed in Regional Parks Botanic Garden In Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, CA.

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