Quercus berberidifolia

Last updated

California scrub oak
Leaves of California Scrub Oak.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Quercus
Section: Quercus sect. Quercus
Species:
Q. berberidifolia
Binomial name
Quercus berberidifolia
Synonyms [2]
  • Quercus agrifolia var. berberidifolia(Liebm.) Wenz.
  • Quercus dumosa f. berberidifolia(Liebm.) Trel.
  • Quercus dumosa var. munita Greene

Quercus berberidifolia, the California scrub oak, is a small evergreen or semi-evergreen shrubby oak in the white oak section of Quercus. It is native to California and common in chaparral.

Contents

Description

Quercus berberidifolia grows to 1–2 metres (3+1⁄2–6+1⁄2 ft) tall, rarely to 4 m (13 ft). [3] In cooler, more exposed areas, scrub oak is usually a small, compact shrub, but in warm or sheltered areas the plant can spread out and grow several metres high. [4]

It has oval to egg-shaped, sharply toothed, dull green leaves which are 1.4–3 centimetres (1⁄2–1+1⁄8 inches) long [3] and 1–2 cm (1⁄2–1 in) broad, leathery on their top surfaces and somewhat hairy underneath. Male and female catkins grow on the same plant, blooming as at the leaves unfurl. [3]

The solitary or paired brown acorns are 1–3 cm (1⁄2–1 in) long [3] and 1–2 cm (1⁄2–1 in) broad, and pointed or egg-shaped with thin caps when mature; they mature in about 6–8 months after pollination. [4]

Similar species

The species is often known simply as scrub oak, a name also applied to other Quercus species, especially several which were formerly grouped under the single name Q. dumosa; all are found in scrubby habitats. Many other scrub-type oaks may be found in these regions, and careful inspection is required to identify individuals of Q. berberidifolia and its hybrids.[ citation needed ]

Etymology

The epithet berberidifolia means 'barberry-leaved', referring to the spiny leaf margins characteristic of Q. berberidifolia as well as of several species of Berberis.

Distribution and habitat

It is a native of the scrubby hills of California and a common member of chaparral ecosystems. [5]

Ecology

Quercus berberidifolia sometimes hybridizes with other species.[ citation needed ]

Uses

The acorn is edible. [3]

In culture

The word chaparral is derived from the Spanish word for scrub oak, chaparro. The non-specific meaning of the term is 'short in stature'. Because most scrub vegetation is rather low growing, the term is broadly applied to all of the vegetation in chaparral communities.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. ↑ Beckman, E. (2020). "Quercus berberidifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T194068A173545406. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T194068A173545406.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Quercus berberidifolia Liebm.". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Turner, Mark; Kuhlmann, Ellen (2014). Trees & Shrubs of the Pacific Northwest (1st ed.). Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 190. ISBN   978-1-60469-263-1.
  4. 1 2 Nixon, Kevin C. (1997). "Quercus berberidifolia". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 3. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. ↑ "Quercus berberidifolia". Calflora. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.