SPECIES: Quercus agrifolia
Table of Contents

photo courtesy of Charles Webber, California Academy of Sciences

 
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION:
Steinberg, Peter D. 2002. Quercus agrifolia. 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/ [].

FEIS ABBREVIATION:
QUEAGR

SYNONYMS:
None

NRCS PLANT CODE [154]:
QUAG

COMMON NAMES:
coast live oak
encina
California live oak

TAXONOMY:
The currently accepted scientific name of coast live oak is Quercus agrifolia Nee. (Fagaceae). Two varieties of coast live oak are recognized [70,76]:

Quercus agrifolia Nee var. agrifolia
Quercus agrifolia Nee var. oxyadenia (Torr.) J.T. Howell

Coast live oak is classified in the red oak subgenus (Erythrobalanus) [7,65,67,92,114]. Several hybrids between coast live oak and other  red oak species have been documented [20,70]. Quercus a. var. oxyadenia × California black oak (Q. kelloggii) hybrids, known as Q. × ganderi C.B. Wolf, occur in San Diego County [20]. California black oak also hybridizes with the typical variety of coast live oak (Q. a. var. agrifolia). This cross, known as Q. × chasei McMinn, is found in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Hybrids between interior live oak (Q. wislizenii) and the typical variety of coast live oak are known in many areas in northern California. Coast live oak also hybridizes with Nuttall's scrub oak (Q. dumosa) and Shreve oak (Q. parvula var. shrevii) [44,114]. All these oak species show evidence of introgression with one another [44].

There is some uncertainty about the degree of introgression between interior and coast live oaks. Brophy and Parnell [20] note that limited hybridization has occurred but the 2 species remain relatively distinct. Dodd and others [45] estimate that in the northern part of interior and coast live oaks' ranges, where hybridization is greatest, up to 60% of coast live oak may show signs of introgression.

LIFE FORM:
Tree

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS:
No special status

OTHER STATUS:
None

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