Interior Live Oak
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| Quercus wislizenii A. DC. |
The Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizenii) is an evergeen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in the large areas of California in the United States. It also occurs south into northern Baja California in Mexico. It generally occurs in foothills, being most abundant in the lower altitudes of the Sierra Nevada, but also widespread in the Pacific Coast Ranges and the San Gabriel Mountains.
It is a large shrub or tree growing to 22 m tall. The dark-green leaves are usually small, 2.5-7 cm long and 2-5 cm broad, thick and often spiny-toothed, particularly on young trees. The flowers are catkins. The acorns are 1-2 cm long, and mature in about 18 months after flowering.
The Interior Live Oak is classified in the red oak section (Quercus sect. Lobatae). Several hybrids between Interior Live Oak and other red oak species have been documented. Hybrids with Coast Live Oak (Q. agrifolia) are known in many areas in coastal California. It also hybridizes with Nuttall's Scrub Oak (Q. dumosa) and California Black Oak (Q. kelloggii). All these oak species show evidence of introgression with one another.
