About Arctostaphylos rainbowensis J.E.Keeley & Massihi
Arctostaphylos rainbowensis J.E.Keeley & Massihi is an erect shrub, ranging in height from a bushy 1 metre (3.3 ft) to a tree-like 4 metres (13 ft). It grows a burl at its base, and is covered in smooth, reddish brown bark. Its oval leaves can reach up to 5 centimeters long and 3.5 centimeters wide; they are hairless, and have a somewhat waxy texture. The inflorescence is a hanging cluster made of white urn-shaped flowers, each measuring 6 to 8 millimeters long. Its fruit is roughly one centimeter wide, and ripens to a dark purple-brown color. Since this species was first collected, its habitat has undergone extensive development, which has caused the extirpation of many of its populations. In some regions, the range of Arctostaphylos rainbowensis overlaps with the much more common and widespread Arctostaphylos glandulosa. This rarer species, A. rainbowensis, has no hairs on its stems, new growth, and inflorescence, which distinguishes it from A. glandulosa.
