Western Leatherwood
EntdeckenPflanzen
Western Leatherwood
dirca occidentalis
The Western Leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis) is an extraordinary and rare deciduous shrub endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Belonging to the Daphne family, this plant is famous for its remarkably pliable, leather-like wood and branches, which can be bent into complete knots without breaking. It occupies moist, shaded slopes and riparian corridors, playing a vital role in early-season woodland ecosystems. Despite its tough constitution, it is highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation and changes in local hydrology, making it a prized sighting for California native plant enthusiasts.
Lebensraum: Found on moist, shaded, north-facing slopes and in wooded canyons within mixed evergreen forests of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Aussehen
This slow-growing shrub reaches 1 to 2.5 meters in height, exhibiting a highly branched, rounded form with smooth, dark brown or greyish bark. In late winter, before its leaves appear, the shrub produces hanging clusters of small, pale yellow, tube-shaped flowers. Its leaves, which develop later, are alternate, broadly oval to egg-shaped, light green on top and slightly paler underneath, eventually turning a gentle yellow before shedding in the summer drought.
ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungMalvalesFamilieThymelaeaceaeGattungDirca
Kategorie
PflanzenSeltenheit
Common
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Snaps
Mach den ersten Snap!
Interessante Fakten
The branches are so incredibly flexible and strong that Native Americans used them as ropes, straps, and materials for basketry.
The genus name 'Dirca' is named after Dirce, a figure in Greek mythology, referring to a spring, highlighting the plant's preference for wet habitats.
Unlike most deciduous plants that shed leaves in autumn, Western Leatherwood often loses its leaves in mid-summer as a drought-survival strategy.
Besondere Fähigkeiten
Fähigkeit
Extreme Wood Elasticity
The wood and bark possess incredibly tough, flexible fibers that allow branches to bend into tight knots without fracturing.
Fähigkeit
Winter Flowering Peak
Blooms in the depth of winter before producing leaves, capturing the attention of early-season pollinators when competition is low.
Fähigkeit
Summer Dormancy
Drops its leaves during the dry summer months to conserve water, adapting perfectly to the Mediterranean climate.
Maße und Details
- Länge
- 100-250 cm
- Lebenserwartung
- 30-80 Jahre
Ernährung und Fütterung
As a photoautotrophic plant, Western Leatherwood synthesizes its own food from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water through photosynthesis.
Hauptnahrung
- Sunlight
- Carbon dioxide
- Water
- Soil nutrients
Nahrungssuche
- Photosynthesis
Ökologische Zusammenhänge
mutualism
Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
Bombus vosnesenskii
Visits flowers for nectar, acting as one of the primary winter pollinators.
eaten by
North American Deer Mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus
Feeds on the nutrient-rich seeds that fall to the forest floor.
Merkmale
Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.
Auch bekannt als
Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.
Sammlungen
Sammlungen für dieses Objekt erscheinen hier, wenn weitere Themen hinzugefügt werden.
Sicherheit
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Wie identifiziert man Western Leatherwood?
Der einfachste Weg, Western Leatherwood zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.
Was ist der/die/das länge von Western Leatherwood?
100-250 cm
Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Western Leatherwood?
30-80 Jahre
Was frisst Western Leatherwood?
As a photoautotrophic plant, Western Leatherwood synthesizes its own food from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water through photosynthesis.
Wo findet man Western Leatherwood normalerweise?
Found on moist, shaded, north-facing slopes and in wooded canyons within mixed evergreen forests of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Wie jagt Western Leatherwood?
Photosynthesis
Snap-Karte
Zoome hinein, um Cluster aufzulösen und zu sehen, wo dieses Objekt fotografiert wurde.
Karte wird geladen…
Neueste Snaps
Neueste Snaps erscheinen hier, wenn neue Beobachtungen hinzukommen.
Wo zu sehen
Park25 Beobachtungen12 Arten
California, US
Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
Hier kann man sehen Immergrüne Huckleberry und Golden Chinquapin.
Führer anzeigen →
Park30 Beobachtungen12 Arten
California, US
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
Hier kann man sehen Kriegerfeder, Western Leatherwood und White Globe Lily.
Führer anzeigen →
