H20120712-5273--Notholithocarpus densiflorus var echinoides--RPBG

Notholithocarpus densiflorus var. echinoides—dwarf tanoak. "Tanoak is more susceptible to damage and death from Phytophthora ramorum, the fungus-like water mold causing sudden oak death disease, than any other known North American plant. Moist, mixed-evergreen and redwood/tanoak forests are the water mold's primary habitat in North America. Phytophthora ramorum infection is nearly always fatal to tanoaks, although mature trees may take several years to die."—USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). Photographed at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, CA.

Done