Oaks of the World

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  Quercus myrtifolia
Author Willd. 1805 Sp. Pl. 4: 424
Synonyms myrtifolia f. ampla Trel. 1924
phellos var. arenaria Chapm. 1860
Local names myrtle oak ; seaside scrub oak ;
Range Florida, near sea level; South Carolina; Mississipi;
Growth habit to 9 m tall; often shrubby;
Leaves 2-5 x 1.2-3 cm; evergreen; oboval to elliptic; thick; apex rounded often mucronate; base cuneate to rounded; margin revolute, entire or sometimes with 1-3 pairs of minute, bristle-tipped teeth; shiny dark green, hairless above; yellow green beneath with axil rusty tufts; 6-8 vein pairs; petiole glabrescent, 2-5 mm long;
Flowers spring;
Fruits acorn globose, 1-1.2 cm in diameter; turning blackish; sessile; 1 to 2 together, sessile or on a short peduncle; cup with appressed grey scales, covering less than 1/3 of nut; maturing in 2 years;

Bark, twigs and
buds

bark light grey, smooth at first, becoming furrowed near the base; twigs hairy becoming hairless; buds red brown, hairless;
Hardiness zone, habitat hardy zone 7 (withstands -14 ° C); prefers dry, sandy soils;
Miscellaneous -- A.Camus : n° 403;
-- Sub-genus Quercus, section Lobatae, subsection Phellos;
-- Hybridizes with Q.incana = Q.x oviedoensis Sarg., (but this taxon could be a form of Q.inopina ...)

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