Ceanothus impressus
Ceanothus impressus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common name Santa Barbara ceanothus. It is endemic to the Central Coast of California, where it is known from San [Luis Obispo County, California|San Luis Obispo] and Santa [Barbara County, California|Santa Barbara Counties]. It occurs in chaparral habitat.
This is an upright shrub with a dense or open form, reaching up to 3 meters in height. The evergreen leaves are about 2 centimeters long and oval shaped, highly ridged and wrinkled and curling under along the edges. They may be gland-dotted and have grayish hairy undersides. The shrub flowers abundantly in inflorescences of small blue flowers. The fruit is a crested spherical capsule about 4 millimeters wide.
There are two varieties:
- C. impressus var. impressus - generally more compact with intricate branching and cupped leaves
- C. impressus var. nipomensis - a rare variety, more open in shape, known only from a region of San Luis Obispo County