Chrysolepis ? Chrysolepis Scientific classification Kingdom : Plantae Division : Magnoliophyta Class : Magnoliopsida Order : Fagales Family : Fagaceae Genus : Chrysolepis Species Chrysolepis chrysophylla - Golden Chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens - Bush Chinquapin Chrysolepis is a small genus in the beech family Fagaceae , endemic to the western United States , occurring from western Washington south to southern California . They are evergreen trees and shrubs with simple , entire ( untoothed ) leaves with a dense layer of golden scales on the underside ( hence the genus name , from Greek chryso- , yellow , and lepis , scale ) and a thinner layer on the upper side ; the leaves persist for 3-4 years before falling . The fruit is a densely spiny cupule containing usually three sweet , edible nuts . Chrysolepis is related to the subtropical southeast Asian genus Castanopsis ( in which it was formerly included ) , but differs in the nuts being triangular and fully enclosed in a sectioned cupule , and in having bisexual catkins . Chrysolepis also differs from another allied genus Castanea ( chestnuts ) , in nuts that take 14-16 months to mature ( 3-5 months in Castanea ) , evergreen leaves and the shoots having a terminal bud . There are two species Chrysolepis chrysophylla ( Golden Chinquapin or Giant Chinquapin ) and Chrysolepis sempervirens ( Bush Chinquapin ) . The name 'chinquapin ' is also sometimes spelled 'chinkapin' . The Golden Chinquapin Chrysolepis chrysophylla is a tree reaching 20-40 m tall , or sometimes a shrub 3-10 m tall . It occurs in coastal areas of the Pacific Coast Ranges from Washington ( near Seattle ) south to San Luis Obispo , but also with a small disjunct population in the Sierra Nevada east of Sacramento . It grows at lower elevations , from sea level to 1 , 500 m , rarely 2 , 000 m . The leaves are 6-12 cm long , with an acute ( sharp-pointed ) apex . The bark is thick and rough . The Bush Chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens is a shrub only 1-2 m tall . It occurs in interior southwest Oregon and California , in the Klamath Mountains , Sierra Nevada and San Jacinto Mountains . It grows mostly at high elevation , 1 , 000-3 , 000 m altitude . The leaves are smaller , 4-8 cm long , with an obtuse ( blunt-pointed or rounded ) apex . The bark is thin and smooth . Categories : Fagaceae | Trees of California | Trees of Oregon | Trees of Washington In other languages : Português lightgreen Chrysolepis Plantae Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida Fagales Fagaceae Chrysolepis Species Chrysolepis chrysophylla - Golden Chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens - Bush Chinquapin 