Refugio manzanita facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Refugio manzanita |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: |
A. refugioensis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Arctostaphylos refugioensis Gankin
|
|
The Refugio manzanita (scientific name: Arctostaphylos refugioensis) is a special type of manzanita plant. It is found only in a specific area, which means it is endemic to Santa Barbara County, California. You can spot it near the coast, especially around Refugio State Beach. It also grows in the Santa Ynez Mountains, which are part of the northwestern Transverse Ranges.
About the Refugio Manzanita
The Refugio manzanita is a type of plant that grows in the coastal sage and chaparral areas. These are places with dry, shrubby plants near the coast. This manzanita prefers to grow in soils that come from sandstone rocks.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is a shrub, which means it's a woody plant smaller than a tree. It can grow to be at least 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall. Some of these shrubs can even reach more than 4 metres (13 ft) in height!
Branches and Leaves
The branches of the Refugio manzanita are covered in long, stiff hairs that have tiny glands at their tips. It has many leaves that are greenish to a deep red color. These leaves are shaped like long ovals. Each leaf feels dull and waxy. They often have a bristly texture and can be smooth or slightly toothed along their edges. The leaves can grow up to about 4.5 centimeters long.
Flowers and Fruit
The Refugio manzanita blooms in the winter. Its flowers grow in clusters called inflorescences. The flowers are shaped like cones and are about one centimeter long. After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. This fruit is a red, round or oval-shaped drupe. A drupe is a type of fruit with a hard pit inside, like a peach or a cherry. The fruit of the Refugio manzanita has a pointed end and measures at least one centimeter long.
