SafePlants

No images found for this plant ID: 9225.

Ensure images are uploaded to the Media Library and tagged with "9225" in the "plant_image_tag" taxonomy.

Safe for Children?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Dogs?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Cats?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Safe for Reptiles?

✅ Safe: 0
❓ Neutral: 0
❌ Unsafe: 0

Coyote ceanothus

Scientific Name: Ceanothus ferrisiae

Family: Rhamnaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Ceanothus ferrisiae - Coyote Ceanothus

Ceanothus ferrisiae, commonly known as coyote ceanothus, is a rare shrub belonging to the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Ceanothus ferrisiae McMinn
  • Family: Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn Family)
  • Synonyms: None explicitly mentioned, but the text refers to variations in spelling ("ferrisae").
  • TSN (ITIS Taxonomic Serial Number): 28468

Distribution and Habitat

  • Ceanothus ferrisiae is native to California and is considered endemic to the state, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world.
  • Specific locations mentioned include Morgan Hill, Coyote Ridge, and potentially the Santa Teresa Hills in California.
  • It appears to thrive in areas with unusual soil compositions, particularly serpentinite or serpentine rock, as found on Coyote Ridge.

Ecological Role

  • Ceanothus ferrisiae is on the U.S. Endangered Species List and is classified as endangered in California.
  • Its existence is threatened by anthropogenic processes, including increasing demands for acreage, bisecting its populations with dams, and the accidental introduction of Phytophthora cactorum through restoration efforts.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Ceanothus ferrisiae is described as a shrub.
  • It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years.

Conservation Status

  • The Coyote Ceanothus is an endangered species.
  • Its total population is approximately 6000 individuals.
  • Mitigation efforts include creating new populations to offset impacts from construction projects, such as dam retrofits.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The text mentions the plant in the context of other endangered species found in the same region, such as the Tiburon Indian paintbrush, the Mt. Hamilton thistle, and the Metcalf Canyon jewelflower.
  • It also notes restoration efforts that involved introducing Phytophthora cactorum, a plant pathogen, which negatively impacted the Ceanothus ferrisiae population.

Further Information

  • Discover Life has a page dedicated to the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Ceanothus ferrisiae.