Quercus fusiformis
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Quercus fusiformis (also often referred to as Q. virginiana var. fusiformis), commonly known as escarpment live oak, plateau live oak, plateau oak, or Texas live oak, is an evergreen or nearly evergreen tree.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its native range includes the Quartz Mountains and Wichita Mountains in southwestern Oklahoma,<ref name="Oklahoma">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> through Texas, to the Mexican states of Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León.<ref>Template:BONAP</ref><ref name=v>Template:EFloras</ref>
Quercus fusiformis is an evergreen tree in the southern live oaks section of the genus Quercus (section Virentes).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is distinguished from Quercus virginiana (southern live oak) most easily by the acorns, which are slightly larger and with a more pointed apex. It is also a smaller tree, not exceeding Template:Convert in trunk diameterTemplate:Sndcompared to 2.5 m (75 in) in diameter in southern live oakTemplate:Sndwith more erect branching and a less wide crown.<ref name=v/> Like Q. virginiana, its magnificent, stately form and unparalleled longevity has endeared it to generations of residents throughout its native range. Its low hanging branches are a favorite for local children to climb and play in.
Escarpment live oak is typically found on dry sites, unlike southern live oak, which prefers moister conditions. The tree, especially the Quartz Mountains variety, is generally accepted to be the hardiest evergreen oak, able to withstand very cold winters with minimal leaf burn in areas as cold as USDA zone 6a. For this reason the tree has become popular within the landscape industry for its beauty, ability to endure urban conditions, and general hardiness. It is prevalently used for these purposes in Texas and southern Oklahoma but use is becoming more widespread in the Western US.
The largest recorded individual tree of Q. fusiformis in the state of Texas is found in Bosque County<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (not to be confused with the "Election Oak" or Bosque County Oak). It has a circumference of Template:Convert, which is actually larger than the largest recorded Q. virginiana in the state, listed at Template:Convert.
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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- Texas Native Plants Database, Texas A&M University: Quercus fusiformis — horticultural/ornamental tree description.
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- photo of herbarium specimen collected in Nuevo León in 2003