Ornithostaphylos

Description

Ornithostaphylos is a monotypic plant genus which contains the single species Ornithostaphylos oppositifolia, the Baja birdbush or Baja California birdbush. This is a shrub native to the chaparral plant community of the coastline of southern California and northern Baja California. This bush has long, narrow, leathery evergreen leaves with edges rolled under. The bark on the branches is thin and the younger branches and twigs are reddish in color. The bush bears rounded, lantern-shaped white flowers on drooping pedicels.