FNA: Quercus pumila vs. Quercus dumosa

	Quercus pumila	Quercus dumosa
	runner oak, running oak	coastal sage scrub oak, Nuttall's scrub oak, scrub oak
Habit	Shrubs, deciduous or tardily deciduous, to 1 m. Bark gray to dark brown.	Shrubs, subevergreen, 1-2(-2.5) m, dense, divaricately branching, leaves brittle, often falling when branches disturbed.
Bark		smooth when young, eventually scaly.
Twigs	gray-brown to reddish brown, 1-2 mm diam., sparsely to uniformly pubescent.	reddish or grayish, 1-1.5(-2) mm diam., glabrous or sparsely stellate-pubescent, soon glabrate.
Buds		reddish brown, globose or ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous, rarely puberulent near apex.
Leaves	blade oblong to narrowly obovate, 25-100 × 10-33 mm, base acute to rounded, margins entire, revolute, with 1 apical awn, apex acute or obtuse to rounded; surfaces abaxially uniformly gray-brown pubescent, rarely glabrate, adaxially somewhat convex, rugose, glabrous or with scattered hairs along midrib.	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.
Acorns	annual; cup deeply saucer-shaped to turbinate, 5-12 mm high × 10-15 mm wide, covering 1/3-1/2(-2/3) nut, outer surface pubescent, inner surface densely pubescent, scales rarely involute, often tuberculate, tips tightly appressed, acute; nut globose to ovoid or broadly oblong, 9.5-15 × 9-12 mm, glabrate, scar diam. 5-8 mm.	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.
Cotyledons		distinct.
Terminal	buds brown to red-brown, ovoid, 2.5-4.5 mm, glabrous or with ciliate scale margins.

	Quercus pumila	Quercus dumosa
Phenology	Flowering spring.	Flowering spring.
Habitat	Dry sandy soils of savannahs, low ridges and oak-pine scrub, occasionally at margins of poorly drained sites	Open chaparral, coastal sage scrub
Elevation	0-100 m (0-300 ft)	0-300 m (0-1000 ft)
Distribution	AL; FL; GA; MS; NC; SC [WildflowerSearch map]	CA; Mexico (Baja California) [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Although no hybrid combinations have been formally proposed, D. M. Hunt (1989) has reported evidence of hybridization with Quercus hemisphaerica, Q. incana, Q. myrtifolia, and Q. phellos. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)	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.)
Source	FNA vol. 3.	FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa	Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Lobatae	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. 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. 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. 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
Name authority	Walter: Fl. Carol., 234. (1788)	Nuttall: N. Amer. Sylv. 1: 7. (1842)
Web links	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 dumosa

runner oak, running oak

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

Habit

Shrubs, deciduous or tardily deciduous, to 1 m. Bark gray to dark brown.

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

Bark

smooth when young, eventually scaly.

Twigs

gray-brown to reddish brown, 1-2 mm diam., sparsely to uniformly pubescent.

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

Buds

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

Leaves

blade oblong to narrowly obovate, 25-100 × 10-33 mm, base acute to rounded, margins entire, revolute, with 1 apical awn, apex acute or obtuse to rounded;

surfaces abaxially uniformly gray-brown pubescent, rarely glabrate, adaxially somewhat convex, rugose, glabrous or with scattered hairs along midrib.

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.

Acorns

annual;

cup deeply saucer-shaped to turbinate, 5-12 mm high × 10-15 mm wide, covering 1/3-1/2(-2/3) nut, outer surface pubescent, inner surface densely pubescent, scales rarely involute, often tuberculate, tips tightly appressed, acute;

nut globose to ovoid or broadly oblong, 9.5-15 × 9-12 mm, glabrate, scar diam. 5-8 mm.

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.

Cotyledons

distinct.

Terminal

buds brown to red-brown, ovoid, 2.5-4.5 mm, glabrous or with ciliate scale margins.

Quercus pumila

Quercus dumosa

Phenology

Flowering spring.

Habitat

Dry sandy soils of savannahs, low ridges and oak-pine scrub, occasionally at margins of poorly drained sites

Open chaparral, coastal sage scrub

Elevation

0-100 m (0-300 ft)

0-300 m (0-1000 ft)

Distribution

AL; FL; GA; MS; NC; SC

[WildflowerSearch map]

CA; Mexico (Baja California)

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Although no hybrid combinations have been formally proposed, D. M. Hunt (1989) has reported evidence of hybridization with Quercus hemisphaerica, Q. incana, Q. myrtifolia, and Q. phellos.

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

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.)

Source

FNA vol. 3.

Parent taxa

Fagaceae > Quercus > sect. Lobatae

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. 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. 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. 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

Name authority

Walter: Fl. Carol., 234. (1788)

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

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).

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

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Quercus pumila

Quercus dumosa

Quercus pumila

Quercus dumosa