FNA: Quercus dumosa vs. Quercus tardifolia

	Quercus dumosa	Quercus tardifolia
	coastal sage scrub oak, Nuttall's scrub oak, scrub oak	lateleaf oak
Habit	Shrubs, subevergreen, 1-2(-2.5) m, dense, divaricately branching, leaves brittle, often falling when branches disturbed.	Trees, evergreen.
Bark	smooth when young, eventually scaly.	gray, furrowed.
Twigs	reddish or grayish, 1-1.5(-2) mm diam., glabrous or sparsely stellate-pubescent, soon glabrate.	dark reddish brown, 1.5-2.5 mm diam., densely pubescent.
Buds	reddish brown, globose or ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous, rarely puberulent near apex.
Leaves	blade undulate or strongly to moderately cupped, occasionally subplanar, 10-20(-25) × 6-15(-20) mm, base cordate or angular-cordate, margins irregularly spinose-toothed or shallowly lobed, rarely entire, often somewhat revolute, secondary veins 3-5(-6) on each side, irregularly branched, apex rounded or spinose-acute; surfaces abaxially sparsely to densely covered with erect, curly, (2-)4(-6)-rayed fasciculate hairs to 0.5 mm, felty to touch in young leaves, adaxially glossy green, glabrate or with scattered stellate hairs, secondary veins somewhat impressed, puberulent.	blade broadly elliptic or obovate, widest at or distal to middle, planar, 50-100 × 20-70 mm, base cordate or occasionally rounded, margins with 3-4 lobes with shallow sinuses, 6-12 awns, apex acute or obtuse; surfaces abaxially conspicuously tomentose, primary and secondary veins raised, adaxially somewhat rugose, glabrate.
Acorns	solitary or paired, subsessile; cup reddish, deeply cup-shaped, 5-8 mm deep × 8-15 mm wide, enclosing 1/3 nut or less, scales long-acute, moderately or scarcely tuberculate at base; nut fusiform or subcylindric, 10-20(-30) × 5-10(-12) mm, apex acute.	biennial, immature acorns in pairs, mature acorns not known.
Cotyledons	distinct.
Terminal		buds brown or reddish brown, ellipsoid or ovoid, 3.5-5.5 mm, apex hairy, scales with ciliate margins.

	Quercus dumosa	Quercus tardifolia
Phenology	Flowering spring.	Flowering spring.
Habitat	Open chaparral, coastal sage scrub	Wooded arroyos
Elevation	0-300 m (0-1000 ft)	2000 m (6600 ft)
Distribution	CA; Mexico (Baja California) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	TX [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Of conservation concern. The name Quercus dumosa has been applied to virtually all scrub oaks in the white oak group of central and southern California and adjacent Baja California. Through the years, and following independent studies by various authors, the concept of this species has gradually narrowed from the original, which included plants here segregated as Q. turbinella, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. berberidifolia, and Q. pacifica. In degree and constancy, the differences among these species are similar to those separating other commonly recognized tree species of the western United States. The majority of populations referred to Q. dumosa in recent treatments are now included in Q. berberidifolia (see treatment). All of the scrub oaks have a striking superficial similarity because of their shrubby habit and small, often spiny leaves; they differ dramatically in leaf and twig vestiture and acorn form. The concept of Q. dumosa presented here limits it to populations of scraggly shrubs with short petioles, cordate leaf bases, erect curly trichomes on the abaxial leaf surface, and narrow acute acorns that occur at low elevations almost always within sight of the ocean. Because these locations are typically prime real estate, the species, which probably never was common, is highly at risk. It rarely comes into contact with other white oaks because of its low elevation and dry habitat preference; putative hybrids are known, however, with Q. engelmannii and Q. lobata. Some populations of Q. berberidifolia from higher elevations near populations of Q. dumosa show signs of introgression. Named hybrids include Quercus ×kinselae (C. H. Muller) Nixon & C. H. Muller (= Q. dumosa Nuttall × Q. lobata Née) and Q. dumosa Nuttall var. kinselae C. H. Muller (= Q. dumosa × Q. engelmannii). The Luisenos used gall nuts from Quercus dumosa medicinally for sores and wounds and as an astringent (D. E. Moerman 1986). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	Of conservation concern. Quercus tardifolia was reported from Mexico (Coahuila) (A. M. Powell 1988), but I have not seen the specimens. It should be expected in the ranges (e.g., Sierra del Carmen) adjacent to the Big Bend area. This distinctive species is apparently quite infrequent, only two small clumps being known from the Chisos Mountains (C. H. Muller 1951). Recent efforts to locate Quercus tardifolia have not been successful (M. Powell, pers. comm.). Its status is also in question; Muller and K. C. Nixon (pers. comm.) think that it might be a hybrid between Quercus gravesii and Q. hypoxantha. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source	FNA vol. 3.	FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa	Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Quercus	Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Lobatae
Sibling taxa	Q. acerifolia, Q. agrifolia, Q. ajoensis, Q. alba, Q. arizonica, Q. arkansana, Q. austrina, Q. berberidifolia, Q. bicolor, Q. boyntonii, Q. buckleyi, Q. carmenensis, Q. chapmanii, Q. chihuahuensis, Q. chrysolepis, Q. coccinea, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. depressipes, Q. douglasii, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, Q. engelmannii, Q. falcata, Q. fusiformis, Q. gambelii, Q. garryana, Q. geminata, Q. georgiana, Q. graciliformis, Q. gravesii, Q. grisea, Q. havardii, Q. hemisphaerica, Q. hinckleyi, Q. hypoleucoides, Q. ilicifolia, Q. imbricaria, Q. incana, Q. inopina, Q. intricata, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. kelloggii, Q. laceyi, Q. laevis, Q. laurifolia, Q. lobata, Q. lyrata, Q. macrocarpa, Q. margarettae, Q. marilandica, Q. michauxii, Q. minima, Q. mohriana, Q. montana, Q. muehlenbergii, Q. myrtifolia, Q. nigra, Q. oblongifolia, Q. oglethorpensis, Q. pacifica, Q. pagoda, Q. palmeri, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. polymorpha, Q. prinoides, Q. pumila, Q. pungens, Q. robur, Q. robusta, Q. rubra, Q. rugosa, Q. sadleriana, Q. shumardii, Q. similis, Q. sinuata, Q. stellata, Q. tardifolia, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii	Q. acerifolia, Q. agrifolia, Q. ajoensis, Q. alba, Q. arizonica, Q. arkansana, Q. austrina, Q. berberidifolia, Q. bicolor, Q. boyntonii, Q. buckleyi, Q. carmenensis, Q. chapmanii, Q. chihuahuensis, Q. chrysolepis, Q. coccinea, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. depressipes, Q. douglasii, Q. dumosa, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, Q. engelmannii, Q. falcata, Q. fusiformis, Q. gambelii, Q. garryana, Q. geminata, Q. georgiana, Q. graciliformis, Q. gravesii, Q. grisea, Q. havardii, Q. hemisphaerica, Q. hinckleyi, Q. hypoleucoides, Q. ilicifolia, Q. imbricaria, Q. incana, Q. inopina, Q. intricata, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. kelloggii, Q. laceyi, Q. laevis, Q. laurifolia, Q. lobata, Q. lyrata, Q. macrocarpa, Q. margarettae, Q. marilandica, Q. michauxii, Q. minima, Q. mohriana, Q. montana, Q. muehlenbergii, Q. myrtifolia, Q. nigra, Q. oblongifolia, Q. oglethorpensis, Q. pacifica, Q. pagoda, Q. palmeri, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. polymorpha, Q. prinoides, Q. pumila, Q. pungens, Q. robur, Q. robusta, Q. rubra, Q. rugosa, Q. sadleriana, Q. shumardii, Q. similis, Q. sinuata, Q. stellata, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii
Name authority	Nuttall: N. Amer. Sylv. 1: 7. (1842)	C. H. Muller: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 63: 154. (1936)
Web links	Local floras: CA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search	WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Quercus tardifolia

coastal sage scrub oak, Nuttall's scrub oak, scrub oak

lateleaf oak

Habit

Shrubs, subevergreen, 1-2(-2.5) m, dense, divaricately branching, leaves brittle, often falling when branches disturbed.

Trees, evergreen.

Bark

smooth when young, eventually scaly.

gray, furrowed.

Twigs

reddish or grayish, 1-1.5(-2) mm diam., glabrous or sparsely stellate-pubescent, soon glabrate.

dark reddish brown, 1.5-2.5 mm diam., densely pubescent.

Buds

reddish brown, globose or ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous, rarely puberulent near apex.

Leaves

blade undulate or strongly to moderately cupped, occasionally subplanar, 10-20(-25) × 6-15(-20) mm, base cordate or angular-cordate, margins irregularly spinose-toothed or shallowly lobed, rarely entire, often somewhat revolute, secondary veins 3-5(-6) on each side, irregularly branched, apex rounded or spinose-acute;

surfaces abaxially sparsely to densely covered with erect, curly, (2-)4(-6)-rayed fasciculate hairs to 0.5 mm, felty to touch in young leaves, adaxially glossy green, glabrate or with scattered stellate hairs, secondary veins somewhat impressed, puberulent.

blade broadly elliptic or obovate, widest at or distal to middle, planar, 50-100 × 20-70 mm, base cordate or occasionally rounded, margins with 3-4 lobes with shallow sinuses, 6-12 awns, apex acute or obtuse;

surfaces abaxially conspicuously tomentose, primary and secondary veins raised, adaxially somewhat rugose, glabrate.

Acorns

solitary or paired, subsessile;

cup reddish, deeply cup-shaped, 5-8 mm deep × 8-15 mm wide, enclosing 1/3 nut or less, scales long-acute, moderately or scarcely tuberculate at base;

nut fusiform or subcylindric, 10-20(-30) × 5-10(-12) mm, apex acute.

biennial, immature acorns in pairs, mature acorns not known.

Cotyledons

distinct.

Terminal

buds brown or reddish brown, ellipsoid or ovoid, 3.5-5.5 mm, apex hairy, scales with ciliate margins.

Quercus dumosa

Quercus tardifolia

Phenology

Flowering spring.

Habitat

Open chaparral, coastal sage scrub

Wooded arroyos

Elevation

0-300 m (0-1000 ft)

2000 m (6600 ft)

Distribution

CA; Mexico (Baja California)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

The name Quercus dumosa has been applied to virtually all scrub oaks in the white oak group of central and southern California and adjacent Baja California. Through the years, and following independent studies by various authors, the concept of this species has gradually narrowed from the original, which included plants here segregated as Q. turbinella, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. berberidifolia, and Q. pacifica. In degree and constancy, the differences among these species are similar to those separating other commonly recognized tree species of the western United States. The majority of populations referred to Q. dumosa in recent treatments are now included in Q. berberidifolia (see treatment). All of the scrub oaks have a striking superficial similarity because of their shrubby habit and small, often spiny leaves; they differ dramatically in leaf and twig vestiture and acorn form. The concept of Q. dumosa presented here limits it to populations of scraggly shrubs with short petioles, cordate leaf bases, erect curly trichomes on the abaxial leaf surface, and narrow acute acorns that occur at low elevations almost always within sight of the ocean. Because these locations are typically prime real estate, the species, which probably never was common, is highly at risk. It rarely comes into contact with other white oaks because of its low elevation and dry habitat preference; putative hybrids are known, however, with Q. engelmannii and Q. lobata. Some populations of Q. berberidifolia from higher elevations near populations of Q. dumosa show signs of introgression.

Named hybrids include Quercus ×kinselae (C. H. Muller) Nixon & C. H. Muller (= Q. dumosa Nuttall × Q. lobata Née) and Q. dumosa Nuttall var. kinselae C. H. Muller (= Q. dumosa × Q. engelmannii).

The Luisenos used gall nuts from Quercus dumosa medicinally for sores and wounds and as an astringent (D. E. Moerman 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

Quercus tardifolia was reported from Mexico (Coahuila) (A. M. Powell 1988), but I have not seen the specimens. It should be expected in the ranges (e.g., Sierra del Carmen) adjacent to the Big Bend area.

This distinctive species is apparently quite infrequent, only two small clumps being known from the Chisos Mountains (C. H. Muller 1951). Recent efforts to locate Quercus tardifolia have not been successful (M. Powell, pers. comm.). Its status is also in question; Muller and K. C. Nixon (pers. comm.) think that it might be a hybrid between Quercus gravesii and Q. hypoxantha.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source

FNA vol. 3.

Parent taxa

Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Quercus

Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Lobatae

Sibling taxa

Q. acerifolia, Q. agrifolia, Q. ajoensis, Q. alba, Q. arizonica, Q. arkansana, Q. austrina, Q. berberidifolia, Q. bicolor, Q. boyntonii, Q. buckleyi, Q. carmenensis, Q. chapmanii, Q. chihuahuensis, Q. chrysolepis, Q. coccinea, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. depressipes, Q. douglasii, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, Q. engelmannii, Q. falcata, Q. fusiformis, Q. gambelii, Q. garryana, Q. geminata, Q. georgiana, Q. graciliformis, Q. gravesii, Q. grisea, Q. havardii, Q. hemisphaerica, Q. hinckleyi, Q. hypoleucoides, Q. ilicifolia, Q. imbricaria, Q. incana, Q. inopina, Q. intricata, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. kelloggii, Q. laceyi, Q. laevis, Q. laurifolia, Q. lobata, Q. lyrata, Q. macrocarpa, Q. margarettae, Q. marilandica, Q. michauxii, Q. minima, Q. mohriana, Q. montana, Q. muehlenbergii, Q. myrtifolia, Q. nigra, Q. oblongifolia, Q. oglethorpensis, Q. pacifica, Q. pagoda, Q. palmeri, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. polymorpha, Q. prinoides, Q. pumila, Q. pungens, Q. robur, Q. robusta, Q. rubra, Q. rugosa, Q. sadleriana, Q. shumardii, Q. similis, Q. sinuata, Q. stellata, Q. tardifolia, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii

Q. acerifolia, Q. agrifolia, Q. ajoensis, Q. alba, Q. arizonica, Q. arkansana, Q. austrina, Q. berberidifolia, Q. bicolor, Q. boyntonii, Q. buckleyi, Q. carmenensis, Q. chapmanii, Q. chihuahuensis, Q. chrysolepis, Q. coccinea, Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. depressipes, Q. douglasii, Q. dumosa, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, Q. engelmannii, Q. falcata, Q. fusiformis, Q. gambelii, Q. garryana, Q. geminata, Q. georgiana, Q. graciliformis, Q. gravesii, Q. grisea, Q. havardii, Q. hemisphaerica, Q. hinckleyi, Q. hypoleucoides, Q. ilicifolia, Q. imbricaria, Q. incana, Q. inopina, Q. intricata, Q. john-tuckeri, Q. kelloggii, Q. laceyi, Q. laevis, Q. laurifolia, Q. lobata, Q. lyrata, Q. macrocarpa, Q. margarettae, Q. marilandica, Q. michauxii, Q. minima, Q. mohriana, Q. montana, Q. muehlenbergii, Q. myrtifolia, Q. nigra, Q. oblongifolia, Q. oglethorpensis, Q. pacifica, Q. pagoda, Q. palmeri, Q. palustris, Q. phellos, Q. polymorpha, Q. prinoides, Q. pumila, Q. pungens, Q. robur, Q. robusta, Q. rubra, Q. rugosa, Q. sadleriana, Q. shumardii, Q. similis, Q. sinuata, Q. stellata, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii

Name authority

Nuttall: N. Amer. Sylv. 1: 7. (1842)

C. H. Muller: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 63: 154. (1936)

Web links

Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).

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Quercus dumosa

Quercus tardifolia

Quercus dumosa

Quercus tardifolia