Gambel oak
| Gambel oak | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Fagaceae |
| Genus: | Quercus |
| Section: | Quercus |
| Species: | Q. gambelii |
| Binomial name | |
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Quercus gambelii Nutt. 1848 not Liebm. 1854 |
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| Natural range of Quercus gambelii | |
| Synonyms | |
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Quercus gambelii, with the common name Gambel oak, is a deciduous small tree or large shrub that is widespread in the foothills and lower mountain elevations of western North America. It is also regionally called scrub oak, oak brush, and white oak.
As the Gambel oak and Quercus gambelii, it was named after the American naturalist William Gambel (1823–1849).
The natural range of Quercus gambelii is centered in the western United States and northwestern Mexico, in the states of Arizona, Chihuahua, Colorado, New Mexico, Sonora, and Utah. It also extends into Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Nebraska, the Oklahoma Panhandle, Coahuila, and western Texas.
The tree typically grows at altitudes of 1,000–3,000 metres (3,300–9,800 ft) above sea level, where precipitation averages between 30–60 centimeters (12–24 inches) per year.
Quercus gambelii trees vary significantly in size from one location to another. The average mature height is from 3–9 metres (10–30 ft), but occasionally reaches heights of 18 metres (59 ft) in some locations. Dwarf stands of plants under 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall are common in marginal areas where heavy browsing occurs.
Although the tree's wood is hard and dense, its branches are irregular and crooked, making them flexible enough to bend without breaking when covered with heavy snow. The bark is rough and brownish-gray.
The leaves are generally 7–12 cm (3–4.5 in) long and 4–6 cm (1.5–2.5 in) broad, deeply lobed on each side of the central vein; the upper surface is glossy dark green, the undersurface is paler and velvety. They frequently turn orange and yellow during autumn, creating mountainsides of vivid colors. The flowers are inconspicuous unisexual catkins that occur in the spring.
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Wikipedia