Quercus berberidifolia

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.

California scrub oak
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
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 Liebm.
Synonyms[2]
Quercus agrifolia var. berberidifolia (Liebm.) Wenz. Quercus dumosa f. berberidifolia (Liebm.) Trel. Quercus dumosa var. munita Greene

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.

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]}