FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 309 



Acorns (fig. 142) mature in two seasons and are ripe in late fall. The cup 

 scales are long and reddish brown. 



Wood similar in color and character to that of the preceding, but its thick 

 sapwood is whitish. It is of no economic use, except for local supplies of fuel, 

 for which it is very highly esteemed and extensively used in some parts of the 

 tree's range. 



Longevity. — Not fully determined. It grows slowly and persistently and is 

 exceedingly tenacious, even where storm-beaten or pounded in the sandy and 

 gravelly washes of streams. Trees from 8 to 15 inches in diameter are from 

 40 to 75 years old. 



UA NGE. 



Northern California to northern Lower California. Foothills and valleys from near 

 lower southern slopes of Mount Shasta (Sacramento River Valley) southward in Cali- 

 fornia coast ranges and Sierras to Mount San Pedro Martir, northern Lower California. 

 Shrubby on high summits at south. 



California. — Valleys and foothills in coast mountains, particularly away from coast, 

 northward and westward to Ukiah (on Russian River), Mendocino County; northward, 

 in great central valley of State, to foothills of southern Shasta National Forest ; thence 

 southward on lower foothills, usually at somewhat higher elevations than Qucrcua 

 dougloaii, but not in chaparral belt to any extent. In chaparral and lower canyons 

 of Stony Creek National Forest on west side of ranges, especially on Kel River. Sierra 

 Nevada: Common in foothills of Lassen Peak and Plumas National forests, at 2,000 

 to 2,800 feet. In Stanislaus National Forest, up to 2,000 feet elevation ; confined to 

 west border, in ravines, gulches, and canyons, and is most abundant in region of Bear 

 Mountains, Gopher Ridge, and Bald Mountain ; grows sparingly in creek canyons from 

 Garden Valley southward to canyon of South Fork of American River, near Coloma and 

 Lotus; also on Ilangtown and Webber creeks (west of Placerville), but ceasing about 1 

 mile east of latter place; in Pleasant Valley southward, and in canyons from Indian 

 Diggins westward to Coyoteville and Oleta. Common in southern Sierras on foothills 

 and southward to Fort Tejon, in Tehachapi Mountains. In coast mountains abundant 

 around San Francisco Bay and southward. Frequent in Santa Lucia Mountains of 

 Monterey National Forest, in Sur, Carmelo, Arroyo Seco, San Antonio, and Nacimiento 

 river basins, at 1,250 to 5,000 feet elevations, but shrubby above 2,700. In chaparral 

 between 1,500 and 3,000 feet, in San Luis Obispo National Forest (T. 29 S., R. 16 E.). 

 Generally distributed in Santa Barbara National Forest, at 1,750 to 6,200 feet, being espe- 

 cially common along north border on northern slopes of Cuyama River. Not in Santa 

 Monica Mountains, but abundant on coast side of Sierra Madre Range on Mount Lowe, 

 Mount Wilson, both slopes of Sierra Liebre Range northward to Gormans Station ; in 

 chaparral on summits of Santa Ana Range, at 1,600 feet. San Bernardino and San 

 Jacinto mountains, here occurring in Spencer Valley at head of San Diego River, and 

 elsewhere. Cuyamaca Mountains, near Jamacha, and at Mexican boundary, only on 

 Hanson Laguna range. On Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. 



Lower California. — North end of Mount San Pedro Martir. 



OCCURRENCE. 



On foothill slopes and their open valleys, in dry river bottoms and washes, and desert 

 mountain canyons, in moderately rich, dry, loamy soils, or in poor, dry, gravelly, or 

 rocky soils. Largest in sheltered sites, with somewhat fresh, good soil ; stunted and 

 shrubby on hot, gravelly slopes or stream bottoms. 



In small, pure groups or patches, but more often mixed with scrub oak and chaparral ; 

 less frequently with blue oak and California live oak. 



Climatic Conditions. — Similar to those of California live oak, as is also its repro- 

 duction. 



Tolerance. — Very tolerant of shade. 



Price Oak. 

 Quercus pricei " Sudworth. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



Very little is known of the Price oak. and that only from a hurried exami- 

 nation of a few trees found by the writer in October. 1004, on the banks of a 



"Named in honor of Mr. Overton Westfeldt Price, Associate Forester, Forest Service; 

 Forestry and Irrigation, vol. 13, p. 157. 



