scrub oak
Quercus berberidifolia

Family: Fagaceae.

Type: Evergreen large shrub or small tree.

Branching: Alternate.

Oak Group: Intermediate.

Leaves: New leaf undersides are whitish to yellowish, like those of canyon live oak, and remain pale even after the powdery color has been lost. Margins are variable from moderately to very toothed (unlike canyon live oak's leaves, which are occasionally entire). Leaves of scrub oak tend to be more wavy than the flatter leaves of the canyon live oak. Nevertheless, it can be hard to distinguish between the two using foliage traits; ecological characteristics (see below) may be more useful.

Twig: See below; not commented upon.

Fruit & Flower: Acorns are smaller than those of canyon live oak, and stumpy, with a warty beanie-shaped cap. They are not required for this class, however, because they are often not present.

Miscellaneous: The scrub oak is similar to the canyon live oak in many ways, but it is a shrub; this trait (many stems from one base, in other words) and its presence in chaparral can be useful to distinguish it. It is found in chaparral in the moistest sites, and occasionally in woodlands, where it can be a leftover from a previous chaparral successional stage. It was once called Quercus dumosa, so that name may be seen in older literature. It typically has a dense canopy.