''Chamaebatia'', also known as mountain misery, is a genus of two species of aromatic evergreen
shrubs
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
endemic to
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. Its English common name derives from early settlers' experience with the plant's dense tangle and sticky, strong-smelling resin.
They are
actinorhizal Actinorhizal plants are a group of angiosperms characterized by their ability to form a symbiosis with the nitrogen fixing actinomycetota ''Frankia''. This association leads to the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules.
Classification
Actinorh ...
, non-
legumes capable of
nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (), with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia () or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. Atmo ...
through symbiosis with the
actinobacterium
The ''Actinomycetota'' (or ''Actinobacteria'') are a phylum of all gram-positive bacteria. They can be terrestrial or aquatic. They are of great economic importance to humans because agriculture and forests depend on their contributions to so ...
, ''
Frankia
''Frankia'' is a genus of nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in symbiosis with actinorhizal plants, similar to the ''Rhizobium'' bacteria found in the root nodules of legumes in the family Fabaceae. ''Frankia'' also initiate the forming of root ...
''.
Taxonomy
Species
''Chamaebatia'' comprises the following species:
* ''
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:
* ''Chamaebatia foliolosa''
Newb.
References
External links
USDA Plants ProfileJepson Manual Treatment
Dryadoideae
Rosaceae genera
{{Rosaceae-stub