''Jamesia americana'', also called cliffbush, waxflower or five petal cliffbush, is a species of flowering plant in the

Hydrangeaceae Hydrangeaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Cornales, with a wide distribution in Asia and North America, and locally in southeastern Europe. Description The genera are characterised by leaves in opposite pairs (rarely whorled or ...

Description

''Jamesia americana'' is a perennial shrub distributed throughout the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

and

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. It is distinguished from the similar '' Jamesia tetrapetala'' in that ''J. americana'' has many flower heads with five petals.

Systematics

There are several

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

of ''Jamesia americana''. These include: *''Jamesia americana'' var. ''americana'' *''Jamesia americana'' var. ''macrocalyx'' *''Jamesia americana'' var. ''rosea'' *''Jamesia americana'' var. ''zionis''

References

Hydrangeaceae {{Cornales-stub