Quercus lobata Née

California (including Channel Islands); to 12800 m, in warm, moist valleys;

may reach 30 m, with a short trunk to 2 m and more in diameter; weeping at the end of branches; open crown spreading; stout branches;

5-10 x 3-6 cm; oblong to oboval; lobate (7-11 lobes each side, with deep sinuses), sometimes toothed at their apex; base cuneate or round; shiny dark green above with some stellate hairs; pale green or whitish, tomentose beneath, with numerous short stellate hairs; 5-10 vein pairs; petiole 0.6-1.3 cm long, pubescent;

male flowers on catkins 2.5-7.5 cm long;

acorn 3-6 cm long, narrow, pointed; sessile or subsessile; singly or paired; cup with warty, pilose scales, covering 1/3 of nut or less; maturing in 1 year; edible;

hardy; prefers acidic or slightly calcareous, rich, deep soils; slow-growing; trunk is often covered with lichen ( Ramalina reticulata) ;

– Sub-genus Quercus, Section Quercus, Subsection Dumosae; – A.Camus : n° 266; – Confusion possible with Q. garryana which has leaves with less deep sinuses, and acorns less pointed. – Some hybrids, with Q.douglasii ( = x jolonensis ), Q.turbinella ( = x munzii ), Q.dumosa ( = x townei ) ;