Quercus grisea

Qurcus grisea Liebm.

by Matthew Fry, Native Plants of Arizona 2004

Common names: gray oak, shin oak, scrub oak (1, 2, 3).

Family: Fagaceae (1, 2, 3).

Synonymy: undulata Torr. var. grisea (Liebm.) Engelm. 1877
oblongifolia Coult., non Torr. 1853, nec R.Br. ter 1871.

Etymology:

Identification

Growth form: A shrub to medium sized tree up to 60 feet. On drier sites it is very shrubby with multiple stems. When tree sized it has an irregular crown of stout, twisted branches(1, 2, 3).
Roots:

Stem: Moderate, light reddish brown, fine grayish fuzz; clustered terminal buds, sharp pointed and plump (1, 2, 3).

Leaves: Deciduous (or nearly evergreen), alternate, simple, elliptical to ovate, 1 to 2 ½ inches long, entire or a few teeth near pointed tip, leathery and stiff, rounded or heart shaped base, gray green to green above, dull and fuzzy beneath (1, 2, 3).

Inflorescence/flowers: Monoecious, males in long drooping catkins, yellow green; females very small spikes in leaf axils, appearing with the leaves (1, 2, 3).

Fruit: Oblong acorn, ½ to ¾ inch long, bowl shaped, scaly, finely hairy cap (may be stalked) covers ½ of nut, ripens in 1 season in early fall (1, 2, 3).

Similar species: Gambel oak (Q. gambelii), sandpaper oak (Q. pungens), Mohr shin oak (Q. mohriana), and Arizona white oak (Q. arizonica) (1, 2, 3).

Ecology

Life history: perennial.

Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1, 2, 3).

Photosynthetic pathway:

Phenology: .

Distribution: Relatively common in the Trans-Pecos area of Texas. Its range extends from Texas westward into the mountains of central and southern New Mexico. Is less common in central and southeastern Arizona. Their are scattered populations of gray oak in northern Mexico extend southward to Durango and westward from Coahuila to Sonora (1, 2, 3).

Uses

Navajo, Ramah Other (Protection)
Used to protect new or ceremonial hogans from lightning, ghosts and witches. Navajo, Ramah Food (Unspecified)
Acorns used for food. Apache, Chiricahua & Mescalero Food (Winter Use Food)
Ripe acorns roasted slightly, pounded and mixed with dried meat and stored. Shaved root chips used to flavor drinks. Raw fruit used for food. (5)

References

1. Pavek, Diane S. 1994. Quercus grisea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2004, December 8].

2. USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5. (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70874-4490 USA.

3. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (http://www.itis.usda.gov).

4. University of Michigain-Dearborn (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/)

Qurcus grisea Liebm. by Matthew Fry, Native Plants of Arizona 2004 Common names: gray oak, shin oak, scrub oak (1, 2, 3). Family: Fagaceae (1, 2, 3). Synonymy: undulata Torr. var. grisea (Liebm.) Engelm. 1877 oblongifolia Coult., non Torr. 1853, nec R.Br. ter 1871. Etymology: Identification Growth form: A shrub to medium sized tree up to 60 feet. On drier sites it is very shrubby with multiple stems. When tree sized it has an irregular crown of stout, twisted branches(1, 2, 3). Roots: Stem: Moderate, light reddish brown, fine grayish fuzz; clustered terminal buds, sharp pointed and plump (1, 2, 3). Leaves: Deciduous (or nearly evergreen), alternate, simple, elliptical to ovate, 1 to 2 ½ inches long, entire or a few teeth near pointed tip, leathery and stiff, rounded or heart shaped base, gray green to green above, dull and fuzzy beneath (1, 2, 3). Inflorescence/flowers: Monoecious, males in long drooping catkins, yellow green; females very small spikes in leaf axils, appearing with the leaves (1, 2, 3). Fruit: Oblong acorn, ½ to ¾ inch long, bowl shaped, scaly, finely hairy cap (may be stalked) covers ½ of nut, ripens in 1 season in early fall (1, 2, 3). Similar species: Gambel oak (Q. gambelii), sandpaper oak (Q. pungens), Mohr shin oak (Q. mohriana), and Arizona white oak (Q. arizonica) (1, 2, 3). Ecology Life history: perennial. Native/introduced: Native to the Southwestern United States (1, 2, 3). Photosynthetic pathway: Phenology: . Distribution: Relatively common in the Trans-Pecos area of Texas. Its range extends from Texas westward into the mountains of central and southern New Mexico. Is less common in central and southeastern Arizona. Their are scattered populations of gray oak in northern Mexico extend southward to Durango and westward from Coahuila to Sonora (1, 2, 3). Uses Navajo, Ramah Other (Protection) Used to protect new or ceremonial hogans from lightning, ghosts and witches. Navajo, Ramah Food (Unspecified) Acorns used for food. Apache, Chiricahua & Mescalero Food (Winter Use Food) Ripe acorns roasted slightly, pounded and mixed with dried meat and stored. Shaved root chips used to flavor drinks. Raw fruit used for food. (5) References 1. Pavek, Diane S. 1994. Quercus grisea. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2004, December 8]. 2. USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5. (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70874-4490 USA. 3. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (http://www.itis.usda.gov). 4. University of Michigain-Dearborn (http://herb.umd.umich.edu/)