TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
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 1few-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 56, minute; petals 0; stamens 412+
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 13 nuts subtended by spiny, bur-like involucre; nut maturing in 12 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).
Evergreen or deciduous
Leaf: stipules small, generally early deciduous
Staminate inflorescences: catkins, 1several, slender, on proximal part of twig
Pistillate inflorescence axillary among upper leaves, short-stalked; flower generally 1
Staminate flower: calyx 46-lobed, minute; stamens 410
Pistillate flower: calyx minute, generally 6-lobed; ovary enclosed by involucre
Fruit: acorn, maturing in 12 years; nut enclosed by cup-like involucre with thin or tubercled scales
Chromosomes: 2n=24 for all reports
Species in genus: ± 600 species: n hemisphere, to n South America, India
Etymology: (Latin: ancient name for oak)
Many more hybrids have been named but are not included here. Reproduction of many species declining.
Native |
Shrub 13 m, sometimes tree-like and taller, evergreen
Leaf 1.53 cm; petiole 24 mm; blade oblong, elliptic, or ± round, tip generally rounded, margin ± spiny to toothed, teeth abruptly pointed, upper surface ± flat to wavy, ± shiny, green, lower surface appressed-puberulent, dull, pale green
Fruit maturing in 1 year; cup 1220 mm wide, 510 mm deep, hemispheric to bowl-shaped, thick, scales clearly tubercled; nut 1030 mm, ovoid, tip obtuse to acute, shell glabrous inside
Ecology: Dry slopes, chaparral
Elevation: 3001500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehachapi Mountain Area, Central Western California, Southwestern California
Distribution outside California: Baja California
Synonyms: Q. dumosa Nutt. misapplied
Hybridizes with Q. durata, Q. engelmannii, Q. garryana, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. lobata.
Horticultural information: DRN, SUN: 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24; STBL.