Chinquapin - Chrysolepsis Chrysophylla

The native chinquapin (evidently a name used for plants of other genera and species) is doing it's thing in Huckleberry Preserve right now. It's called alternately giant or golden chinquapin and it's latin name is Chrysolepsis chrysophylla. It's found from central California, through Oregon and into Washington. It's generally found in shrub form in the southern part of it's range (SF bay and south) and tree form from the SF bay north. The golden scales on the undersides of leaves is one way to identify this plant.

This has got to be one of the strangest looking plants around here. It's closely related to members of the chestnut family, and in fact reminded me of being in Ticino in southern Switzerland in early fall when the chestnuts were fruiting.