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I am on the fence as to whether this is Q. virginiana or virginiana x lobata. It’s definitely strange looking. Might return to monitor acorn development.

Growing out of a fence next to a railway. Clearly not human planted, so consider voting for wild to counteract the data vandals.

Another observation I took of this tree, showing the developed caps: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/193996383

Possible hybridization at this locations with L. chamissonis or L. variicolor, tidestromii causing the purple coloration of immature or underutilized flowers.

Much lower-growing than typical L. arboreus.

On Quercus durata durata leaf edge. Host observation here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/234591866

No obvious matches I can see on gallformers:

https://gallformers.org/id?hostOrTaxon=Quercus+durata&type=host&detachable=&alignment=&cells=&color=&locations=&season=&shape=&textures=&walls=&form=&undescribed=false

Associated with a leaf gall, also unknown inducer:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/234597964

Pretty sure this is Quercus lobata x virginiana which is an unnamed cross-sectional hybrid. Although sect. virentes is a close relative of sect. Quercus and other similar hybrids have been observed. Most famously Quercus x comptoniae.

Other observations of the same tree: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/174290387, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/239532263

Another nearby tree with similar features: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/239532042

Wirelettuce Characteristics (this specimen)
Growth habit: approx 3' tall
Number of Ligules: 13--2nd photo
Phyllaries: Reflexed
Length of the peduncle (between stem and phyllary):
Location: growing in sandy soil near the coast.
Blooming: August

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Wirelettuce (Stephanomeria) References:

Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=619

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, p. 55.

Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 60 (only lists S. elata) July-Sept

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, pp. 21-23.

Monterey County Wildflowers– a photographic guide https://montereywildflowers.com/asteraceae-stephanomeria/

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Wirelettuce (Genus Stephanomeria) Native, annual, leaves usually withered by bloom time in summer/late summer. Fruit is cylindric, each face generally with long, narrow, central groove.

Ligule Count note per INat Tom Chester: "there's some literature from SoCal that suggests that perhaps there's more intra-species variation in Stephanomeria ligule count than the keys might suggest:
https://tchester.org/plants/analysis/stephanomeria/diegensis.html

Central Coast of California (CCo) Wirelettuce species:

Stephanomeria elata. A.k.a. Santa Barbara Wire Lettuce. Corollas have 9-15 bright pink, sometimes overlapping ligules, the largest number of this Genus in Monterey County. Flowers are on short, 3-7 mm peduncles. Outer phyllaries are generally reflexed. Fruits are grooved and roughened and the pappus is wholly plumose (feather-like from top to bottom). Grows in open/sunny places in sandy soils coastal and inland. Peak bloom time: July-Sept. Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=5147 Monterey County Wildflowers, p. 21.

Stephanomeria virgata subsp. pleurocarpa. A.k.a. Wand or Tall Wire Lettuce. Stem: single, long, central, "wand-like." Plant is tall and can be widely branching. Phyllaries appressed. Ligules: 5-6. Peduncles 3-10mm. Ecology: chaparral openings and grassland. Peak bloom time: June-Nov. Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=6227

Stephanomeria virgata ssp. virgata. A.k.a. Rod Wire Lettuce. Stem: single, long, central, "wand-like." Plant is tall and can be widely branching. Phyllaries strongly reflexed. Ligules: 8--9, (occasionally 7). Peduncles 3-10mm. Ecology: Chaparral openings, grassland. Peak bloom time: Jun-Oct. Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=6228

Stephanomeria exigua subsp. carotifera. A.k.a. Small Wire Lettuce. 7-9 ligules, reflexed phyllaries, heads in panicle-like clusters, long peduncle 10-25mm (0.4" -1"), S Lucias, Diablo Range, (lots in So. Cal., no confirmed obs. in Monterey County)

Stephanomeria exigua subsp. coronaria. A.k.a. Small Wire Lettuce. 5-11 ligules, appressed phyllaries, S. Lucias, Diablo Range, (One confirmed obs. in Monterey County)

Is this just blue oak....? It feels different from the other blue oaks in the area but I'm having a hard time articulating why. Leaves have spines on them and seem larger than other blue oaks. Has a California gall wasp gall on it (Img 3) which implies a white oak; I rarely if ever see that gall on blue oak here....

A Q berb hybrid but with what? There’s a blue tint that nearby trees do not have. Doesn’t seem to key out to QJT. Stellate trichomes generally have 8 rays. Couldn’t find any older leaves. Everything from last season appears to have dropped. Couldn’t find acorn caps either but I didn’t want to step on flowers.