FAGACEAE 



Gambel Oak 



Quercus gambelii Nutt. {Quercus utahensis Rydb.) {Quercus 

 leptophylla Rydb.) {Quercus novomexicana Rydb.) 



HABIT. A shrub or small tree 25-35 feet high and 1 foot 

 in diameter (max. 60 by 5 feet); crown open with thick, erect 

 branches. 



LEAVES. Deciduous; oblong to obovate; 2Vi-7 inches long; 

 deeply 7-9 lobed with rounded lobes; thick; dark green above, 

 paler and hairy below. 



FRUIT. Maturing in one year; sessile or nearly so; acorn 

 ^-H inch long; brown, ovoid; enclosed for about V^-Vz its 

 length in thick-scaled, hairy cup; inner surface of nut shell 

 glabrous. 



TWIGS. Stout; orange-brown to red-brown; hairy. Winter 

 buds: Vq-Va inch long, brown, hairy. 



BARK. Similar to Q. alba. 



WOOD. Unimportant; similar to Q. alba; used for fuel. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Similar to Q. alba; on dry foot- 

 hills and canyon walls; the only abundant deciduous oak in 

 the low Rocky Mountain forests; has been subdivided into 

 several species by some authors. 



* * * 



Blue Oak 



Quercus douglasii Hook. & Arn. 



HABIT. A shrub to medium-sized tree 50-80 feet high and 

 2-3 feet in diameter; dense rounded crown. 



LEAVES. Deciduous; oblong to obovate; 2-5 inches long; 

 entire to sinuate-toothed to shallowly and irregularly 4-5 lobed; 

 lobes and teeth rounded but often mucromate; dark blue-green 

 above, paler and hairy below. 



FRUIT. Maturing in one year; sessile or nearly so; acorn 

 M-IH inches long, chestnut-brown, elliposoidal ; enclosed at 

 base in thin, shallow, hairy cup; inner surface of nut shell glabrous; 

 kernel sweet. 



TWIGS. Stout, red-brown. Winter buds: Vq-Va inch long, 

 bright red. 



BARK. Thin; gray; scaly; similar to Q. alba. 



WOOD. Unimportant; similar to the red oaks and placed 

 in that group by some authors. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Intolerant; on dry foothill sites. 



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