Plants killed by fire; burl absent; twigs glabrous or sparsely short-hairy. Leaf blades shiny green. Inflorescences: axis (few-branched), 1+ mm diam.; (branches to 15 mm in immature phase) Ovaries glabrous. Fruits glabrous. Stones distinct.

Flowering winter-early spring. Chaparral, foothill woodlands; 500-1100 m; Calif.

Subspecies laevigata is found on western (and possibly eastern) slopes of Mount Diablo, Contra Costa County. Plants resembling it occur in the southern North Coast Range in Napa and Solano counties but subtle features suggest that they are more closely allied with subsp. manzanita.