Quercus berberidifolia Liebm.

California, Mexico; from 100 to 1800 m ;

1-3 m, sometimes shrubby, with several trunks; more erect and straighter than Q.dumosa ;

1.5-3 x 1-2 cm; evergreen; elliptic to oblong; base truncate or remotely rounded; apex somewhat pointed; margins toothed, spiny (2-7 pairs of teeth), seldom entire; lustrous green and glabrous above; glaucous, bloomy, weakly pubescent beneath with few short, 6-8 rays stellate trichomes; petiole hairy, 2-4 mm long;

acorn 1.5-3 cm; solitary or paired; barrel-shaped, brown; cupule glabrous inside, subsessile, with rusty knobbed scales, covering 1/4 of nut; maturing in 1 year;

– A. Camus : n° 176; – Sub-genus Quercus, Section Quercus, Series Dumosae; – Introgression with Q.dumosa , the “coastal scrub oak”, or “Nuttall’s scrub oak”; – Today’s taxonomists actually distinguish 2 different species : Q.dumosa in coastal ranges, and Q.berberidifolia going inland; moreover, plants native to Santa Catalina Island and other neighbouring islands, first considered as varieties of Q.dumosa , later identified to Q.berberidifolia , are currently named Q.pacifica . – Different from Q.dumosa and from Q.durata var. gabrielensis (both have abundant hairs on the leaves undersides), from Q.cornelius-mulleri (still more white pubescent beneath), from Q.john-tuckeri (glaucous leaves and larger acorns), and from Q.turbinell a (glaucous leaves and stalked acorns); – Hybridizes with many other Californian white oaks : see Q.x acutidens