Quercus parvula Greene

Sta Cruz Island, and some places in Sta Barbara County;

1-3 m tall for the type species;

3-16 cm, evergreen; oblong, lanceolate or ovate; apex acute to acuminate; margins entire, seldom toothed; olive green, glabrous above; dull olive green, glabrous beneath; 6-8 vein pairs; petiole 2-10 mm;

late spring;

acorn 3-4.5 cm long, ovoid, stalked, with tip abruptly tapered and shorter than Q.wislizeni ; cup 1-1.5 cm in diameter, tomentose inside, with thin, flat scales; maturing second year;

zone 8; occurs in wet areas of coastal fog belt;

– Sub-genus Quercus, section Lobatae, Series Agrifoliae; – U sually described as closely related to Q.wislizeni (and considered by Nixon 1997 as a synonym), but genetic studies of plants from Central California show some distinctions with those of North of Mexico justifying their classification as true species ( K.C. Nixon, 2002) ; Q. parvula differs from Q. wislizeni in having larger leaves (3-16 cm versus 2-5 cm), undersides dull olive green (vs shiny yellow-green), and acorn tip (abruptly tapered vs gradually tapered); moreover the habitats are different as well : Q. parvula is typical of wet costal areas, while Q. wislizeni is typical of arid slopes in the interior.