Low shrub to 3 m (9 ft) tall, often forming thickets (shinnery). Twigs brownish, fine-pubescent, becoming glabrate. Bark gray, flaky or papery. Leaves alternate, lanceolate to obovate, 4-10 cm (1.6-4 in) long and 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) wide, margins usually coarsely serrate to undulate, tapering to base, apex acute to acuminate, shiny dark green above, light green and usually sparsely covered with small stellate hairs below. Fruits are acorns maturing in the first year, 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) long and 10-12 mm (about 0.5 in) wide, with cup covering about 1/3-1/2.
Distribution: Native from central Oklahoma east to Tennessee and New Jersey and northward to Iowa.
Habitat: open woodlands, forest edges, and roadsides.
NWI status: none
Comment: Quercus is the ancient classical name for the European oaks; prinoides refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of Quercus prinus.
Distribution in Oklahoma: 
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Last update: 9/17/99
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