Introductory
SPECIES: Chrysolepis chrysophylla | Giant Chinquapin 



ABBREVIATION : 
CHRCHR

SYNONYMS : 
   Castanea chrysophylla Dougl.
   Castanopsis chrysophylla A. DC.


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   CACH6


COMMON NAMES : 
   giant chinquapin
   giant chinkapin
   chinkapin
   chinquapin
   golden chinkapin
   goldenleaf chestnut
   western chinkapin
   giant evergreen chinkapin
   giant evergreen-chinkapin


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of giant chinquapin is
Chrysolepis chrysophylla (Hook.) Hjelmqv. [34].

Giant chinquapin is closely related to members of the chestnut genus
(Castanea).  It was formerly included within the genus Castanopsis
[32,39,44], which includes the Asiatic evergreen trees and shrubs, but
most authorities now place the two North American chinquapin species, C.
chrysophylla and C. sempervirens (Sierra or bush chiquapin), in the
segregate genus Chrysolepis [34].

Giant chinquapin develops a number of shrubby ecotypes which intergrade
with treelike growth forms [40].  Differences in form are currently
thought to reflect site conditions rather than genetic differences
[40,54,55].  Consequently, the shrubby variety (var. minor), commonly
known as golden or shrub chinquapin [33,51], is no longer recognized as
a separate entity [39].  The shrub Sierra chinquapin (C. sempervirens)
hybridizes with shrubby ecotypes of C. chrysophylla in areas where their
ranges overlap [25].


LIFE FORM : 
Tree, Shrub

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
Giant chinquapin is ranked by The Nature Conservancy as imperiled or
rare (S2S3) in the state of Washington [72].


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
N. McMurray, November 1989


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
McMurray, Nancy E. 1989. Chrysolepis chrysophylla. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Chrysolepis chrysophylla | Giant Chinquapin