Quercus parvula var. parvula (Santa Cruz Island Oak)
Photo by John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
about the species
Quercus parvula var. parvula, the Santa Cruz Island oak, is a shrub or small tree endemic to the Channel Islands of California. It occurs in island scrub and woodland habitats and represents a lineage shaped by long-term geographic isolation. As part of California’s island oak diversity, this taxon contributes to the unique flora of the Channel Islands and reflects evolutionary processes associated with island endemism.
why species was selected
The Santa Cruz Island oak was selected because of its island endemism and isolation. Genomic data can clarify evolutionary history, genetic diversity, and connectivity among island populations, informing conservation of Channel Islands ecosystems and endemic plant lineages.
