Quercus ajoensis is an uncommon North American shrub with the common name Ajo Mountain shrub oak. It has been found in Arizona mountain ranges of the Colorado desert, and Arizona uplands of the Sonoran Desert. Q. ajoensis integrates with Q. turbinella and is difficult to determine specimen identification due to hybridization. It appears that this species is an elevation variant of Q. turbinella and is best treated as a subspecies or variety as it has been treated in the past. The status of Q. ajoensis as a species is probably unnecessary due to complete integration with Q. turbinella or it being a low elevation variant of Q. turbinella.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Ajo Mountain scrub oak being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Quercus turbinella
- Quercus hinckleyi
- Quercus john-tuckeri
- Quercus grisea
- Quercus arizonica
- Quercus cornelius-mulleri
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Fagales
- Family
- Fagaceae
- Genus
- Quercus
- Species
- Quercus ajoensis
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