FNA: Quercus engelmannii vs. Quercus berberidifolia

	Quercus engelmannii	Quercus berberidifolia
	Engelmann oak, Engelmann's oak	California scrub oak, inland scrub oak, scrub oak
Habit	Trees, subevergreen, to 10 m. Bark gray or whitish, closely furrowed.	Shrubs, subevergreen, 1-2(-4) m. Bark gray, scaly.
Twigs	light brown, 1-1.5 mm diam., densely or sparsely stellate-tomentose, soon glabrate.	gray, yellowish, rarely reddish, 1-3 mm diam.
Buds	reddish brown, subspheric to broadly ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous or basal scales pubescent; stipules persistent about terminal buds.	reddish brown, globose or ovoid, 2-3 mm, minutely puberulent.
Leaves	blade oblong to elliptic, occasionally lanceolate or ovate, (20-)30-60(-80) × (5-)10-20(-25) mm, base cuneate to cordate, margins entire, undulate, sometimes irregularly toothed, especially toward apex, secondary veins 7-8(-10) on each side, branched, apex acute or broadly rounded; surfaces abaxially blue-green or pale green, densely and loosely glandular-tomentose, quickly glabrate or persistently floccose, especially about base of midrib, at maturity strongly glaucous, adaxially gray-green or pale green, bluish green or glaucous.	blade bicolored, obovate, elliptic, occasionally subrotund, planar or moderately convex, (10-)15-30 × (8-)10-20 mm, base truncate or rounded-attenuate, rarely cuneate, margins irregularly toothed and spinose, often sublobate, rarely entire, secondary veins (3-)4-7 on each side, apex broadly rounded or acute; surfaces abaxially waxy, light green or glaucous, with scattered minute, appressed, (4-)8(-10)-rayed hairs less than 0.2 mm diam. and sparse to dense yellowish, glandular hairs, adaxially glossy or dull green, glabrous or glabrate.
Acorns	solitary or paired, subsessile or on peduncle to 5-6 mm; cup cup-shaped or shallowly cup-shaped, 8-10 mm deep × 10-15 mm wide, enclosing 1/3 nut, scales 1.5-3 mm wide, strongly and regularly tuberculate near base of cup, gray-pubescent; nut light brown, ovoid or oblong, 15-25 × 12-14 mm, glabrate or puberulent about apex.	solitary or paired, subsessile; cup hemispheric or turbinate, rarely shallowly cup-shaped, rim thick, 8-15 mm deep × 15-20(-22) mm wide, enclosing to 1/2 nut, scales reddish or yellowish, usually strongly, irregularly tuberculate, puberulent or canescent; nut light to dark brown, ovoid, ellipsoid, or barrel-shaped, (10-)15-30 × (8-)10-20 mm, apex rounded, glabrous at maturity.
Cotyledons	connate.	distinct.
2n	= 24.

	Quercus engelmannii	Quercus berberidifolia
Phenology	Flowering in spring.	Flowering spring.
Habitat	Oak woodlands, margins of chaparral, arroyos, slopes and bajadas	Chaparral, margins of coastal sage scrub
Elevation	50-1200 m (200-3900 ft)	100-1800 m (300-5900 ft)
Distribution	CA; Mexico (Baja California) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]	CA [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Quercus engelmannii is closely related to and possibly conspecific with Q. oblongifolia. The cups of Q. engelmannii are larger, deeper, and generally more tuberculate than those of Q. oblongifolia, and the scales are usually larger. Based on available samples, the nuts of Q. engelmannii are consistently larger than those of Q. oblongifolia, apparently with little, if any, overlap in diameter. Considerably more variation occurs within Q. engelmannii in leaf form, possibly reflecting introgression from other white oak species such as Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. dumosa, and Q. durata (see treatment). On Catalina Island, Quercus engelmannii is known only from a small grove of trees. Putative hybrids between Q. engelmannii and Q. cornelius-mulleri are common in areas of contact between the two species in Riverside and San Diego counties in southern California. Such a population was the basis for Q. acutidens Torrey [Q. dumosa var. acutidens (Torrey) Wenzig]. Other names applied to those populations are Q. macdonaldii var. elegantula Greene and Q. dumosa var. elegantula (Greene) Jepson. Variable in leaf form and stature, those intermediates form extensive populations and are probably best disposed of under the name Q. ×acutidens. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	The name Quercus dumosa (see species treatment no. 72) has often been applied to this species. Quercus berberidifolia is the most common scrub oak of central and southern California, mostly at midelevations in the Coast Ranges. In central California it is replaced in drier interior habitats by Q. john-tuckeri, and south of the transverse ranges by Q. cornelius-mulleri. From Santa Barbara south, it does not descend to the low elevation coastal sites typical of Q. dumosa in the strict sense. Quercus berberidifolia hybridizes with numerous other white oaks of California. In southern California, putative hybrids with Q. john-tuckeri are noticeable in the mountains above Ventura and on the north slope of the Tehachapi Mountains. (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. Quercus
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. dumosa, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, 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. 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. tardifolia, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii
Synonyms		Q. agrifolia var. berberidifolia, Q. dumosa var. munita
Name authority	Greene: Ill. W. Amer. Oaks 1: 33, plate 17. (1889)	Liebmann: Overs. Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Forh. Medlemmers Arbeider 1854: 172. (1854)
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	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

Quercus berberidifolia

Engelmann oak, Engelmann's oak

California scrub oak, inland scrub oak, scrub oak

Habit

Trees, subevergreen, to 10 m. Bark gray or whitish, closely furrowed.

Shrubs, subevergreen, 1-2(-4) m. Bark gray, scaly.

Twigs

light brown, 1-1.5 mm diam., densely or sparsely stellate-tomentose, soon glabrate.

gray, yellowish, rarely reddish, 1-3 mm diam.

Buds

reddish brown, subspheric to broadly ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous or basal scales pubescent;

stipules persistent about terminal buds.

reddish brown, globose or ovoid, 2-3 mm, minutely puberulent.

Leaves

blade oblong to elliptic, occasionally lanceolate or ovate, (20-)30-60(-80) × (5-)10-20(-25) mm, base cuneate to cordate, margins entire, undulate, sometimes irregularly toothed, especially toward apex, secondary veins 7-8(-10) on each side, branched, apex acute or broadly rounded;

surfaces abaxially blue-green or pale green, densely and loosely glandular-tomentose, quickly glabrate or persistently floccose, especially about base of midrib, at maturity strongly glaucous, adaxially gray-green or pale green, bluish green or glaucous.

blade bicolored, obovate, elliptic, occasionally subrotund, planar or moderately convex, (10-)15-30 × (8-)10-20 mm, base truncate or rounded-attenuate, rarely cuneate, margins irregularly toothed and spinose, often sublobate, rarely entire, secondary veins (3-)4-7 on each side, apex broadly rounded or acute;

surfaces abaxially waxy, light green or glaucous, with scattered minute, appressed, (4-)8(-10)-rayed hairs less than 0.2 mm diam. and sparse to dense yellowish, glandular hairs, adaxially glossy or dull green, glabrous or glabrate.

Acorns

solitary or paired, subsessile or on peduncle to 5-6 mm;

cup cup-shaped or shallowly cup-shaped, 8-10 mm deep × 10-15 mm wide, enclosing 1/3 nut, scales 1.5-3 mm wide, strongly and regularly tuberculate near base of cup, gray-pubescent;

nut light brown, ovoid or oblong, 15-25 × 12-14 mm, glabrate or puberulent about apex.

solitary or paired, subsessile;

cup hemispheric or turbinate, rarely shallowly cup-shaped, rim thick, 8-15 mm deep × 15-20(-22) mm wide, enclosing to 1/2 nut, scales reddish or yellowish, usually strongly, irregularly tuberculate, puberulent or canescent;

nut light to dark brown, ovoid, ellipsoid, or barrel-shaped, (10-)15-30 × (8-)10-20 mm, apex rounded, glabrous at maturity.

Cotyledons

connate.

distinct.

= 24.

Quercus engelmannii

Quercus berberidifolia

Phenology

Flowering in spring.

Flowering spring.

Habitat

Oak woodlands, margins of chaparral, arroyos, slopes and bajadas

Chaparral, margins of coastal sage scrub

Elevation

50-1200 m (200-3900 ft)

100-1800 m (300-5900 ft)

Distribution

CA; Mexico (Baja California)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Quercus engelmannii is closely related to and possibly conspecific with Q. oblongifolia. The cups of Q. engelmannii are larger, deeper, and generally more tuberculate than those of Q. oblongifolia, and the scales are usually larger. Based on available samples, the nuts of Q. engelmannii are consistently larger than those of Q. oblongifolia, apparently with little, if any, overlap in diameter. Considerably more variation occurs within Q. engelmannii in leaf form, possibly reflecting introgression from other white oak species such as Q. cornelius-mulleri, Q. dumosa, and Q. durata (see treatment).

On Catalina Island, Quercus engelmannii is known only from a small grove of trees. Putative hybrids between Q. engelmannii and Q. cornelius-mulleri are common in areas of contact between the two species in Riverside and San Diego counties in southern California. Such a population was the basis for Q. acutidens Torrey [Q. dumosa var. acutidens (Torrey) Wenzig]. Other names applied to those populations are Q. macdonaldii var. elegantula Greene and Q. dumosa var. elegantula (Greene) Jepson. Variable in leaf form and stature, those intermediates form extensive populations and are probably best disposed of under the name Q. ×acutidens.

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

The name Quercus dumosa (see species treatment no. 72) has often been applied to this species.

Quercus berberidifolia is the most common scrub oak of central and southern California, mostly at midelevations in the Coast Ranges. In central California it is replaced in drier interior habitats by Q. john-tuckeri, and south of the transverse ranges by Q. cornelius-mulleri. From Santa Barbara south, it does not descend to the low elevation coastal sites typical of Q. dumosa in the strict sense. Quercus berberidifolia hybridizes with numerous other white oaks of California. In southern California, putative hybrids with Q. john-tuckeri are noticeable in the mountains above Ventura and on the north slope of the Tehachapi Mountains.

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

Source

FNA vol. 3.

Parent taxa

Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Quercus

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. dumosa, Q. durata, Q. ellipsoidalis, Q. emoryi, 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. 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. tardifolia, Q. texana, Q. tomentella, Q. toumeyi, Q. turbinella, Q. vacciniifolia, Q. vaseyana, Q. velutina, Q. viminea, Q. virginiana, Q. wislizenii

Synonyms

Q. agrifolia var. berberidifolia, Q. dumosa var. munita

Name authority

Greene: Ill. W. Amer. Oaks 1: 33, plate 17. (1889)

Liebmann: Overs. Kongel. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Forh. Medlemmers Arbeider 1854: 172. (1854)

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 engelmannii

Quercus berberidifolia

Quercus engelmannii

Quercus berberidifolia