Ornithostaphylos

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Speciesbox | image = Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia 32527264.jpg | status = G4 | status_system = TNC | status_ref = <ref name="natureserve">{{Cite web|date=2022|title=Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158447/Ornithostaphylos_oppositifolia|access-date=24 January 2022|website=NatureServe Explorer|publisher=NatureServe|location=Arlington, Virginia}}</ref> | display_parents = 2 | genus = Ornithostaphylos | parent_authority = Small | species = oppositifolia | authority = (Parry) Small | synonyms = *''Arctostaphylos oppositifolia'' Parry *''Arctostaphylos polifolia'' Torr. *''Arctostaphylos salicifolia'' Parry | synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO">{{Cite POWO|id=176544-2|title=Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia|access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref> }}

'''''Ornithostaphylos''''' is a monotypic plant genus which contains the single species '''''Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia''''', commonly known as the '''Baja California birdbush''' or '''Baja California manzanita'''.<ref name="natureserve" /> A large, evergreen shrub in the heather family, this species is near-endemic to northwestern Baja California, with a small population just north of the border in San Ysidro, California. It produces a much-branched inflorescence of white, urn-shaped flowers, and has leathery leaves that appear opposite or in whorls.<ref name="rebman1">{{Cite book|last1=Rebman|first1=Jon P.|title=Baja California Plant Field Guide|last2=Roberts|first2=Norman C.|publisher=Sunbelt Publications|year=2012|isbn=978-0-916251-18-5|location=San Diego|pages=228}}</ref> These characteristics separate it from its close relatives in the region, which include manzanitas (''Arctostaphylos''), summer holly (''Comarostaphylis'') and mission manzanita (''Xylococcus'').<ref>{{Cite journal|last=STEVENS|first=P.|date=2008-06-28|title=A classification of the Ericaceae: subfamilies and tribes|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230034436|journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=64|pages=1–53|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1971.tb02133.x|access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref>

== Description == A burl-forming, branched shrub to small tree up to 2 m tall, this species has thin, smooth bark that is colored reddish purple when young, sometimes found peeling off. The erect, rigidly branched stems may have minutely wooly hairs. The evergreen, leathery leaves are arranged opposite or whorled, and are up to 8 cm long to 6 mm wide. The margins of the leaves are rolled under, with the top side of the leaf a dark green and the underside white and hairy. The inflorescence is a panicle with 10 to 20 flowers, each suspended by a long pedicel. The fused petals form a white, urn-shaped flower, with 10 stamens and a 5-chambered ovary inside. The fruit is a spherical reddish-brown drupe with 5 stones, each stone containing 2 seeds.<ref name="rebman1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Wallace|first=Gary D.|date=2012|title=Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia|url=https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=35461|access-date=24 January 2022|website=Jepson eFlora|publisher=Jepson Flora Project}}</ref><ref name="efloras" />

== Distribution and habitat == This species is distributed throughout northwestern Baja California, Mexico and a small part of California in the United States. In Baja California, it is found from Tijuana south to the southern end of the Sierra de San Pedro Martir.<ref name="rebman2">{{Cite journal|last1=Rebman|first1=J. P.|last2=Gibson|first2=J.|last3=Rich|first3=K.|date=2016|title=Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California, Mexico|url=http://sdplantatlas.org/pdffiles/BajaChecklist2016.pdf|journal=San Diego Society of Natural History|volume=45|pages=139}}</ref> In California, around 100 individuals are found growing north of the International Border on a single mesa near the Tijuana Hills.<ref name="efloras" />

Plants of this species make their home in the coastal chaparral, where they may form dense, nearly pure strands. The population in the United States is threatened by habitat fragmentation from the construction of roads, trails, and Border Patrol activities, such as "brush" clearing. Part of the known population was transplanted away to make room for the border fence, but their long-term survival is uncertain.<ref name="efloras">{{eFloras|1|220009619|Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia|first=George M.|last=Diggs Jr.|access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref>

== Uses == A very slow growing, rare plant, this attractive small tree is well suited in gardens within its native area as a collector's or specimen plant.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rideout|first=Don|date=16 May 2021|title=Baja Plants for San Diego Gardens|url=https://www.cnpssd.org/chapter-blog/2021/5/16/baja-plants-for-san-diego-gardens|access-date=24 January 2022|website=California Native Plant Society-San Diego Chapter}}</ref> It is hardy down to 12 °F.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilson|first=Bert|date=8 January 2012|title=Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia, Baja California Birdbush|url=https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/3419--ornithostaphylos-oppositifolia|access-date=24 January 2022|website=Las Pilitas Nursery}}</ref> It is drought-tolerant but does fine with occasional watering, enjoying well-draining to rocky soil.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009|title=Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia|url=https://theodorepayne.org/nativeplantdatabase/index.php?title=Ornithostaphylos_oppositifolia|access-date=24 January 2022|website=California Natives Wiki|publisher=Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, Inc}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery mode="nolines" widths="225"> File:Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia 32527277.jpg|Detail of the flowers, with a view to their insides File:Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia 6110041.jpg|A nascent inflorescence with leaves File:Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia 6110033.jpg|The plant in habitat File:Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia 01.jpg|The old inflorescence with drupes File:H20130314-6854—Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia—RPBG-1 (8595937643).jpg|Flowering at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Ornithostaphylos|''Ornithostaphylos''}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Ornithostaphylos|''Ornithostaphylos''}} * [http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Ornithostaphylos+oppositifolia Calflora Database: ''Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia'' (Baja birdbush, Baja California birdbush)] * [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?3449,3582,3583 Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia''] * [https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=OROP USDA Plants Profile] * [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Ornithostaphylos+oppositifolia UC CalPhotos gallery for ''Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia'']

Category:Arbutoideae Category:Flora of California Category:Flora of Baja California Category:Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Category:Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Category:Monotypic Ericaceae genera Category:Critically endangered flora of California Category:Critically endangered flora of Mexico Category:Taxa named by Charles Christopher Parry Category:Natural history of San Diego County, California