Quercus geminata Small. Common name: Sand Live Oak. Phenology: Apr; Sep-Nov (of the same year). Habitat: Xeric sandhills (northward restricted to areas very near the coast), Florida scrub (especially yellow sands), coastal dry hammocks. Distribution: A Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic: se. NC south to s. FL, and west to s. MS. The alleged occurrence of Q. geminata as far north as se. VA is apparently based on ambiguous specimens that are only Q. virginiana (the so-called var. maritima).

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Taxonomy Comments: A careful study of the genetics, morphology, and ecology of Q. geminata and Q. virginiana supports their recognition as separate species (Cavender-Bares & Pahlich 2009). Q. geminata flowers about 2-3 weeks later than Q. virginiana when growing in close proximity. In fire-suppressed xeric sandhills in the FL peninsula it can form dense shrub-thickets.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Fl2, FNA3, GW2, K4, NS, POWO, S, S13, WH3; < Quercus virginiana Mill. — RAB. Basionym: Quercus geminata Small 1897

Links to other floras: = Quercus geminata - FNA3

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 8