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Quercus muehlenbergii, thechinkapin oak(orchinquapin oak), is anoakin thewhite oakgroup (Quercussect.Quercus). The species was often calledQuercus acuminatain older literature.Quercus muehlenbergii, (its specific epithet often misspeltmuhlenbergii) is native to eastern and centralNorth America, ranging fromVermontwest toWisconsinand south toSouth Carolina, westernFlorida,New Mexico, and northeasternMexicofromCoahuilasouth toHidalgo.[4]
Since its recognition as a different species from the similar-appearingchestnut oak(Quercus prinus),Q. muehlenbergiihas generally been regarded as a distinct species; no subspecies or varieties are currently recognized within it, although a few infraspecific variants had been accepted in the past.
The tree's scientific name honorsGotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg(1753–1815), aLutheranpastor and amateur botanist inPennsylvania. In publishing the nameQuercus mühlenbergii,German-AmericanbotanistGeorge Engelmannmistakenly used anumlautin spelling Muhlenberg's name, even though Pennsylvania-born Muhlenberg himself did not use an umlaut in his name. Under the modernrules of botanical nomenclature, umlauts are transliterated, withübecomingue, hence Engelmann'sQuercus mühlenbergiiis now presented asQuercus muehlenbergii. In lack of evidence that Engelmann's use of the umlaut was an unintended error, and hence correctable, themuehlenbergiispelling is considered correct, although the more appropriateorthographicvariantQuercus muhlenbergiiis often seen.[5]
The low-growing,cloningQ. prinoides(dwarf chinkapin oak) is similar toQ. muehlenbergiiand has been confused with it in the past, but is now generally accepted as a distinct species.[6]If the two are considered to beconspecific, the earlier-published nameQuercus prinoideshas priority overQ. muehlenbergii, and the larger chinkapin oak can then be classified asQuercus prinoidesvar.acuminata, with the dwarf chinkapin oak beingQuercus prinoidesvar.prinoides.Q. prinoideswas named and described by the German botanistKarl (Carl) Ludwig Willdenowin 1801, in a German journal article by Muhlenberg.[1]
Key characteristics ofQuercus muehlenbergii(chinkapin oak):[7]
The leaf base is typically more rounded.[1]The veins and sinuses are regular.[1]Acorns with no stalks or with short stalks less than 8mm long. The acorns turn chestnut brown in the fall.[1]The leaves have sharp teeth but no bristles, as a member of thewhite oaksubgenus ofQuercus.[1]
Chinkapin oak ismonoeciousin flowering habit; flowers emerge in April to late May or early June. The staminate flowers are borne in catkins that develop from the leaf axils of the previous year, and the pistillate flowers develop from the axils of the current year's leaves. The fruit, an acorn or nut, is borne singly or in pairs, matures in 1 year, and ripens in September or October. About half of the acorn is enclosed in a thin cup and is chestnut brown to nearly black.[1]
Chinkapin oak is closely related to the smaller but generally similardwarf chinkapin oak(Quercus prinoides). Chinkapin oak is usually a tree, but occasionally shrubby, while dwarf chinkapin oak is a low-growing,clone-formingshrub. The two species generally occur in different habitats: chinquapin oak is typically found oncalcareoussoils and rocky slopes, while dwarf chinkapin oak is usually found onacidic substrates, primarily sand or sandy soils, and also dry shales.[1][6]
Chinkapin oak is also sometimes confused with the relatedchestnut oak(Quercus montana), which it closely resembles. However, unlike the pointed teeth on the leaves of the chinkapin oak, chestnut oak leaves generally have rounded teeth. The two species have contrasting kinds of bark: Chinkapin oak has a gray, flaky bark very similar to that ofwhite oak(Q. alba) but with a more yellow-brown cast to it (hence the occasional name yellow oak for this species), while chestnut oak has dark, solid, deeply ridged bark. The chinkapin oak also has smaller acorns than the chestnut oak or another similar species, theswamp chestnut oak(Q. michauxii), which have some of the largest acorns of any oaks.[1]
