Trees , subevergreen, to 10 m. Bark gray or whitish, closely furrowed. Twigs light brown, 1-1.5 mm diam., densely or sparsely stellate-tomentose, soon glabrate. Buds reddish brown, subspheric to broadly ovoid, 1-2 mm, glabrous or basal scales pubescent; stipules persistent about terminal buds. Leaves: petiole (2-)3-4(-6) mm. Leaf blade oblong to elliptic, occasionally lanceolate or ovate, (20-)30-60(-80) × (5-)10-20(-25) mm, base cuneate to cordate, margins entire, undulate, sometimes irregularly toothed, especially toward apex, secondary veins 7-8(-10) on each side, branched, apex acute or broadly rounded; surfaces abaxially blue-green or pale green, densely and loosely glandular-tomentose, quickly glabrate or persistently floccose, especially about base of midrib, at maturity strongly glaucous, adaxially gray-green or pale green, bluish green or glaucous. Acorns solitary or paired, subsessile or on peduncle to 5-6 mm; cup cup-shaped or shallowly cup-shaped, 8-l0 mm deep × 10-15 mm wide, enclosing 1/3 nut, scales 1.5-3 mm wide, strongly and regularly tuberculate near base of cup, gray-pubescent; nut light brown, ovoid or oblong, 15-25 × 12-14 mm, glabrate or puberulent about apex. Cotyledons connate. 2 n = 24.
Low hills and dry rolling mesas in well-drained soils; at elevations usually below 1,350 metres. Oak woodlands, margins of chaparral, arroyos, slopes and bajadas; at elevations from 50-1,200 metres.
The gum of the bark is pounded, washed and chewed like chewing gum. The acorns are shelled, pounded, leached and cooked into a porridge.
Home
