Cercis occidentalis Torr.

  • Authority

    Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cercis occidentalis Torr.

  • Description

    Species Description - Smooth-barked glabrous shrub or small tree 2-4(-6) m. Leaves orbicular-cordate to subreniform, 2.5-7 cm, .7-1.2 r; sinus broad to narrow; apex rounded to emarginate; blades subcoriaceous to thin-textured, dull to slightly glossy above. Flowering buds evident in leaf axils by late summer, usually less than 4 mm. Flowers pink to bright red-purple; calyx ca 3 mm high, 5.5-7.5 mm wide at apex; corolla (11-) 12-14 mm, the keels (5-)6-6.5 mm wide. Legume oblong, slender-beaked, dorsal margin convex distally, 4-10 cm long, (1.1—) 1.4-2.1 cm wide; wing (l-)1.5-2.5(-3.2) mm wide; valves glabrous, often purple-reddish towards maturity. Seeds several.

  • Discussion

    C. arizonica Patraw (1932) C. arizonica Rose ex Dodge (1936) CN 2n = 14 (Atchison, 1949). The natural range of Cercis occidentalis falls into three areas as follows: (1) California. Inner coast ranges and e slopes of Sierra Nevada, Kern to Siskiyou cos. Chaparral, foothill woodlands to yellow pine forest: dry brushy slopes to moist woodland, ravines, stream banks. Frequent and locally common. 1500-4000 ft. March-May. (2) California. San Diego Co., Laguna Mts. Local, rocky areas and canyons, 4000-4500 ft as to material seen. April-May. (3) Southern Utah, adjacent and c Arizona and Nevada. Canyons, slopes, washes, often with juniper or pinyon juniper. 2500-6200 ft. April-June. The most abundant development of the Cercis occidentalis is cismontane California. The populations in San Diego co., isolated and possibly relictual, on the average resemble their Intermountain kindred more than those of the Sierra. This observation must be viewed in the contrary light that while there are numerous examples of disjunct Sierra elements in the mountains of San Diego co, there are almost no connections with the Great Basin or Intermountain flora.

  • Distribution

    California, w slope of Sierra and inner coast ranges, disjunctly in San Diego co, disjunctly e to nw Arizona and sw Utah. Habit and phenology as defined below. Slightly in cult, in California and probably elsewhere. Judas Tree, California Red Bud.

    United States of America North America|