Chamaebatia Explained

Chamaebatia, also known as mountain misery, is a genus of two species of aromatic evergreen shrubs endemic to California. Its English common name derives from early settlers' experience with the plant's dense tangle and sticky, strong-smelling resin.^{[1] [2]} They are actinorhizal, non-legumes capable of nitrogen fixation through symbiosis with the actinobacterium, Frankia.^{[3] [4]}

Taxonomy

Species

Chamaebatia comprises the following species:^{[5] [6]}

• Chamaebatia australis (Brandegee) Abrams – Southern mountain misery
• Chamaebatia foliolosa Benth. – Sierra mountain misery, bearclover, kit-kit-dizze

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved:^[5]

• Chamaebatia foliolosa Newb.

External links

• USDA Plants Profile
• Jepson Manual Treatment

Notes and References

1. Book: Karen Wiese. Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, 2nd: A Field Guide to Common Wildflowers and Shrubs of the Sierra Nevada. 5 February 2013. FalconGuides. 978-0-7627-8034-1. 188.
2. Book: Bibby. Brian. Aguilar. Dugan. Deeper Than Gold: Indian Life in the Sierra Foothills. 2005. Heyday. 978-0-930588-96-0. 101.
3. Swensen . S.M. . Mullin . B.C. . 1997 . The impact of molecular systematics on hypotheses for the evolution of root nodule symbioses and implications for expanding symbioses to new host plant genera . 10.1023/A:1004240004063 . Plant and Soil . 194 . 185–192 .
4. Oakley. B.. North. M.. Franklin. J. F.. Hedlund. B. P.. Staley. J. T.. Diversity and Distribution of Frankia Strains Symbiotic with Ceanothus in California. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 70. 11. 2004. 6444–6452. Frankia strains symbiotic with Chamaebatia (Rosaceae) were within the same clade as several Ceanothus symbionts. 0099-2240. 10.1128/AEM.70.11.6444-6452.2004. 15528504. 525117. 2004ApEnM..70.6444O .
5. Web site: The Plant List entry for Chamaebatia . September 2013 . The Plant List, v.1.1 . . 15 December 2020.
6. Web site: Chamaebatia Benth. . Govaerts R . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 15 December 2020.