Favoritos de klicklo

A Q berb hybrid but with what? There’s a blue tint that nearby trees do not have. Doesn’t seem to key out to QJT. Stellate trichomes generally have 8 rays. Couldn’t find any older leaves. Everything from last season appears to have dropped. Couldn’t find acorn caps either but I didn’t want to step on flowers.

Growing right by the western side of the road. A strong candidate for Q. garryana semota x john-tuckeri imo. (EDIT: I suppose most of the "QGS" traits could be Q. lobata as well. Tough to say. The leaf litter, indicating semi-deciduousity, and lobed leaves at the very least indicate some sort of lobed, deciduous parent.)

-QJT is the dominant oak species by far in this region with a minority of Q. agrifolia
-QGS traits: Suckering growth habit/stature, deciduousity, appearance of the leaf litter, lobed leaves and general leaf shape, new leaf shape and growth habit, filamentous bracts, yellow-green color of newer leaves
-QJT traits: spikiness of the lobes, rough/tomentose feeling of the leaves (especially the newer ones), wideness of the leaves, bluish-green color and "dustiness" of the mature leaves, dominant yellow central vein on mature leaves, dominant oak species in the area, material thickness and robustness of the twigs

I don't see any QGS in the vicinity. Since this was by the roadside, it is possible that an acorn got carried down from further up the road by water or human activity, and/or QGS from further north into the mountains pollinated some QJT in the area.

The first Q. berberidifolia I've observed in these hills, which are covered in coastal sage brush. There is at least one another Q. berberidifolia I also spotted (of a slightly smaller size) less than 50 meters west of here and further downhill. Both were growing right next to coast live oaks.

EDIT: Found several more growing in eastward facing hills around a five minute walk southeast.