TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

FAGACEAE

OAK FAMILY

John M. Tucker

Shrub or tree, monoecious, deciduous or evergreen
Leaves simple, alternate, petioled; margin entire to lobed; stipules small, generally deciduous
Staminate inflorescence: catkin or stiff spike; flowers many
Pistillate inflorescence 1–few-flowered, generally above staminate inflorescence; involucre in fruit generally cup-like or lobed and bur-like, bracts many, generally overlapping, flat or cylindric
Staminate flower: sepals generally 5–6, minute; petals 0; stamens 4–12+
Pistillate flower: calyx generally 6-lobed, minute; petals 0; ovary inferior, style branches generally 3
Fruit: acorn (nut subtended by scaly, cup-like involucre) or 1–3 nuts subtended by spiny, bur-like involucre; nut maturing in 1–2 years
Seed generally 1
Genera in family: 7 genera, ± 900 species: generally n hemisphere. Wood of Quercus critical for pre-20th century ship-building, charcoal for metallurgy; some now supply wood (Fagus, Quercus ), cork (Q. suber ), food (Castanea , chestnut).

LITHOCARPUS

TAN OAK, TANBARK OAK

Evergreen
Leaf: stipules early deciduous
Staminate inflorescence: spike, elongate, simple, stiff, spreading or erect; flowers many
Pistillate inflorescence below staminate inflorescence on same or separate stalk; flower 1
Staminate flower: sepals 5–6, minute; stamens 10–12
Pistillate flower: calyx 6-lobed
Fruit: acorn, maturing in 2 years; nut enclosed by cup-like involucre
Species in genus: ± 100 species: w North America (1 sp.), especially se Asia
Etymology: (Greek: rock fruit, from hard fruit wall)

Native

L. densiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) Rehder

TAN OAK, TANBARK OAK

Shrub or tree < 30(45) m; trunk bark grayish brown
Leaves evergreen; petioles 10–25 mm; blade 3–14 cm, oblong to ± ovate, base ± rounded, tip obtuse, margin entire to serrate, upper surface sparsely stellate-hairy, becoming ± glabrous, lower surface finely woolly, becoming ± glabrous
Staminate inflorescence stiff, spreading to erect, densely flowered
Fruit: cup (1.5)2–3 cm diam, saucer-shaped, scales slender, ± tapered, reflexed to spreading; nut 20–35 mm, ovoid to subspheric
Ecology: Redwood to red-fir forests
Elevation: < 2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Western Transverse Ranges
Distribution outside California: s Oregon

Native

var. densiflorus

Tree < 30(45) m
Leaf 4–14 cm, 12–40 mm wide; margin generally serrate; lower surface with main veins prominent, ending in teeth
Ecology: Habitats of sp.
Elevation: < 1500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California, Western Transverse Ranges
Distribution outside California: s Oregon
Horticultural information: DRN: 4, 5, 6, 17 &IRR, part SHD: 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; CVS.