Quercus prinoides
Encyclopedia
Quercus prinoides, commonly known as Dwarf Chinkapin Oak, Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, Dwarf Chestnut Oak or Scrub Chestnut Oak, is a shrubby, clone-forming
oak native to eastern North America
, ranging from Massachusetts
to the Carolinian forest
zone of southern Ontario
to Minnesota
, south to North Carolina
and Oklahoma
.
in 1801, in a German journal article by the German-American Pennsylvania botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg
, with the epithet prinoides referring to its resemblance to Quercus prinus, the chestnut oak.
However, this shrubby oak, now generally accepted as a distinct species, is more closely related to chinkapin oak (Quercus muhlenbergii) than to chestnut oak. These two kinds of oak have sometimes been considered to be conspecific (belonging to the same species), in which case the earlier-published name Q. prinoides has priority, with the larger chinkapin oak then usually classified as Quercus prinoides var. acuminata, and the shrubby form as Q. prinoides var. prinoides.
shrub or very small tree that typically only grows to 13-20 feet (4-6 m) tall and 13-20 feet (4-6 m) wide. The leaves of dwarf chinkapin oak closely resemble those of chinkapin oak, although they are smaller: 2-6 in (5-15 cm) long, compared to 4-7 in (10-18 cm) long for chinkapin oak. The acorns are 1/2 to 1 in (15-25 mm) long, with the cup enclosing about half of the acorn.
While similar in foliage and fruits, but with smaller leaves, the dwarf chinkapin oak may also be distinguished from the chinkapin oak by differences in growth habit (the clonally spreading shrubby growth form and smaller proportions of dwarf chinkapin oak, even when grown on rich soils) and habitat (the chinkapin oak is typically found on rocky, calcareous
sites, while the dwarf chinkapin oak is more typically found on dry, often acidic
, sandy soils or dry shales).
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
oak native to eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, ranging from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to the Carolinian forest
Carolinian forest
The Carolinian forest is a life zone in eastern North America characterized primarily by a predominance of deciduous, or broad-leaf trees. The term "Carolinian forest" is used primarily in Canada...
zone of southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, south to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
Classification and nomenclature
Quercus prinoides was named and described by the German botanist Karl (Carl) Ludwig WilldenowCarl Ludwig Willdenow
Carl Ludwig Willdenow was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants...
in 1801, in a German journal article by the German-American Pennsylvania botanist Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg
Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg
Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg was an American clergyman and botanist.-Biography:The son of Heinrich Melchior Muhlenberg, he was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania. He was educated at in Halle starting in 1763 and in 1769 at the University of Halle. He returned to Pennsylvania in September 1770...
, with the epithet prinoides referring to its resemblance to Quercus prinus, the chestnut oak.
However, this shrubby oak, now generally accepted as a distinct species, is more closely related to chinkapin oak (Quercus muhlenbergii) than to chestnut oak. These two kinds of oak have sometimes been considered to be conspecific (belonging to the same species), in which case the earlier-published name Q. prinoides has priority, with the larger chinkapin oak then usually classified as Quercus prinoides var. acuminata, and the shrubby form as Q. prinoides var. prinoides.
Description
The dwarf chinkapin oak is a large, clonally spreading deciduousDeciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
shrub or very small tree that typically only grows to 13-20 feet (4-6 m) tall and 13-20 feet (4-6 m) wide. The leaves of dwarf chinkapin oak closely resemble those of chinkapin oak, although they are smaller: 2-6 in (5-15 cm) long, compared to 4-7 in (10-18 cm) long for chinkapin oak. The acorns are 1/2 to 1 in (15-25 mm) long, with the cup enclosing about half of the acorn.
While similar in foliage and fruits, but with smaller leaves, the dwarf chinkapin oak may also be distinguished from the chinkapin oak by differences in growth habit (the clonally spreading shrubby growth form and smaller proportions of dwarf chinkapin oak, even when grown on rich soils) and habitat (the chinkapin oak is typically found on rocky, calcareous
Calcareous
Calcareous is an adjective meaning mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate, in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines.-In zoology:...
sites, while the dwarf chinkapin oak is more typically found on dry, often acidic
Soil pH
The soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity in soils. pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the activity of hydrogen ions in solution. It ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH below 7 is acidic and above 7 is basic. Soil pH is considered a master variable in soils as it...
, sandy soils or dry shales).
Ecology and uses
The acorns of dwarf chinkapin are sweet tasting and relished by humans and many kinds of wildlife. The wood has little commercial value because of the shrub's small size.Additional references
- Sternberg, G. 1998. Quercus prinoides. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 August 2007.