Canyon silktassel Canyon silktassel

Shrubs or small trees 0.8–3.5 m, branchlets white-tomentose, glabrescent. Leaves: blade green, flat to concave-convex, lanceolate to ovate, ovate-elliptic, or obovate-elliptic, 2.5–7(–9) × 0.8–3(–5) cm, length 1.3–3.9 times width, margins flat to slightly revolute, sometimes slightly undulate, smooth, apex acuminate, abaxial surface densely, closely tomentose, <hairs curled or crisped, interwoven>, adaxial surface glossy, glabrous. Aments: staminate 3–7 cm; pistillate compact, internodes to 1 mm, unbranched, pendulous, 2.5–6 cm; pistillate bracts connate proximally into deep cup, at least at proximal nodes each subtending 3 flowers, deltate, differing in size and shape from leaves, floccose. Berries 7–8 mm diam., tomentose, glabrescent, not glaucous.

Flowering Feb–Apr. Rocky slopes, gravelly alluvium, sandy soils, dry stream beds, chaparral; 200–2300 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).