tanoak
Lithocarpus densiflorus

Family: Fagaceae.

Type: Evergreen.

Branching: Alternate.

Leaves: Simple. Toothed margins. Lateral veins are parallel, not branched, and end at teeth. The leaf surface pillows upward between veins. Upper surface is dark, underside is lighter. Surface is hirsute.

Twig: Twigs are slightly hirsute. Bark is pale, gray, and flat, with fissures.

Flower & Fruit: Fruit is a globe-shaped acorn with a fuzzy "Rasta" fringe on its cap. Flowers are catkins.

Miscellaneous: Many stems commonly sprout from a single location. Tanoak typically lives 300-400 years. Found mostly on the coastal side of mountains. Shade-tolerant. Intermediate drought-tolerance. Tanoak comes in under redwoods if fire does not come through for a long time. It is the species most susceptible to sudden oak death, a fungal infection that may be transmitted by California bay; in many locations tanoak is easy to identify because it is dead everywhere. Its name comes from the tannins found in its wood, which were once used for tanning. Tanoak is not a true oak, but is in the oak family.