Quercus mexiae L.M. González

West Mexico, Sierra Madre del Sur (Jalisco, Nayarit); 600-2500 m;

to 10-15 m tall, twisted trunk;

8-15(-20) cm x 4-6(-10); coriaceous; oblong or oblong-elliptic, sometimes obovate, seldom ovate; apex rounded to obtuse, without bristle tip; variable base : round, cordate, truncate, sometimes oblique or cuneate; margin entire often wavy and sometimes revolute; adaxially lustrous, glabrescent with scattered, 5-7-rayed multiradiate trichomes; abaxially with fasciculate-stipitate 2-6-rayed trichomes, long and tangled, becoming glabrous except on axils; 5-13 veins pairs, impressed above, prominent beneath, straight usually, parallel; conspicuous tertiary veins; petiole 1-3.5 cm long, slender, grey-brown, pubescent.

March to May; male catkins tomentose, 5-10 cm long, with 30-50 flowers; pistillate catkins at axils, solitary or 2-4- clustered, on a short peduncle less than 1 cm long.

acorn 1-1.5 cm long, conical, light brown, truncate at base, 1/3 enclosed by cup; cup halfround, shallow, 10-15 mm in diameter, with triangular, appressed, densely pubescent scales; maturing in 2 years from June to August;

– Sub-genus Quercus, Section Lobatae, Series Erythromexicanae; – Similar to Q. aristata , which differs in having aristate foliar apex, sometimes aristae in the apical margin part, a petiole less than 1 cm long, ovoid buds 3-6 mm long, leaves abaxially with short, straight, 6-12-rayed fasciculate trichomes; – Possible confusion with Q. coffeicolor , which has subcoriaceous leaves with aristate apex, male catkins hairless, completely different habitat (dry rocky soils);