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Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia)

Description

Comarostaphylis diversifolia, known by the common names summer holly and California comarostaphylos, is a species of shrub in the heath family. It is native to Southern California and northern Baja California, where it grows in coastal chaparral habitat. Comarostaphylis diversifolia is an erect shrub which can exceed 4 metres (13 ft) in height. Its bark is gray and shreddy and the tough, evergreen leaves are oval in shape and sometimes toothed. The inflorescence is a raceme of urn-shaped flowers very similar to those of the related shrubs, the manzanitas. The fruit is a bright red, juicy drupe with a bumpy skin.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Ericales

            • Family: Ericaceae

              • Genus: Comarostaphylis