Quercus deserticola Trel.

Mexico (D.F., Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Puebla, Queretaro, Sinaloa); 1100 - 2800 m ;

rarely exceeding 3 m (may sometimes reach 10 m); crown spreading, wider than high;

4-9 x 1.5-3 cm; deciduous or semi-evergreen; leathery, rough; oblong, oboval or elliptic; apex rounded or obtuse, mucronate; base rounded sometimes cordate; margin revolute, thick, entire or undulate or crenate-dentate, with 2-5 pairs of lobes or teeth with straight mucro 0.3-0.5 mm long; dark yellow-green above with some scattered stipitate multiradiate 7-11 rays hairs, especially along midvein; paler below, glaucous, with dense, pediculate, stellate pubescence and some glandular hairs; épidermis slightly bullate; 6-9 vein pairs, slightly curved, impressed above, prominent beneath; petiole tomentose, 2-6 mm long, thickened at base;

in April-May; 18-20 male flowers on a 2-3 cm long rachis; pistilate flowers 3-10 together on a 3 cm long peduncle, densely pubescent;

acorn 1.5 cm, ovoid; 1 to 3 together, on a stout, tomentose, 0.3-1 cm long stalk; enclosed 1/3 in the cup; cup half-round, 1.4-2 cm wide, with scales obtuse covered with white pubescence ; stylopodium persistent ; maturing in 1 year, from August to October;

– A. Camus : n° 251; – Sub-genus Quercus, Section Quercus, Series Leucomexicanae; – Resembles Q. grisea, but this one is much taller, has ovoid buds, 2-4 cm long leaves with stalkless stellate trichomes abaxially; resembles also Q. praeco which has stellate trichomes abaxially, flat veins above, the rim of the cup invaginate. Possible confusion as well with Q. laeta which has glabrescent twigs, the margin of the blade not ou remotely revolute, the abaxial face of the blade with sessile trichomes on the papillose epidermis. – May also be confused with other similar oaks : see all differences HERE.