Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon, Christmas Berry)

3/24/17 Dripping Springs Trail, Agua Tibia Wilderness,

Cleveland National Forest, Riverside County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Toyon, Christmas Berry

SPECIES: Heteromeles arbutifolia

FAMILY: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 3/24/17

LOCATION: Dripping Springs Trail, Agua Tibia Wilderness, Cleveland National Forest, Riverside County, CA

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Treatment from Jepson eFlora:

Native 

Habit: Shrub, small tree, < 10 m, unarmed. 

Stem: trunk bark +- gray; twigs puberulent. 

Leaf: petioled, simple, evergreen; blade 5--10 cm, +- elliptic, leathery, finely toothed, veined to teeth. 

Inflorescence:panicle, domed, branches white-tomentose; pedicel bractlets several to many, scattered throughout, gland-tipped. 

Flower: hypanthium urn-shaped, smooth, bractlets 0; sepals short, triangular, over hypanthium in fruit; petals < 4 mm, white; stamens +- 10, filaments short; ovary inferior, 2--3-chambered, styles 2--3, free. 

Fruit: pome, 5--10 mm diam, elliptic, bright red (yellow), pulp mealy. 

Seed: 2--3, large, smooth, brown. 

Ecology: Chaparral, oak woodland, mixed-evergreen forest; 

Elevation: < 1300 m.

Bioregional Distribution: NW, SNF, n&c SNH, GV, CW, SW; 

Distribution Outside California: British Columbia, Mexico. Flowering Time: (May)Jun--Aug Note: Cult for foliage, flowers, fruit. 
Synonyms: Heteromeles arbutifolia var. arbutifolia; Heteromeles arbutifolia var. cerina (Jeps.) E. Murray; Heteromeles arbutifolia var. macrocarpa (Munz) Munz; Heteromeles salicifolia (C. Presl) Abrams
Jepson eFlora Author: James B. Phipps