It is more commonly known as Gambel Oak. The species was named in honor of William Gambel, an American naturalist who died in 1849. It has a few different variations or related taxa. One of these (the Quercus gambelii Nutt. var. bonina S.L. Welsh), is exclusively found in Utah. Commonly misidentified as scrub oak, gambel oak is actually far more common in northern Utah. It is a perennial and a dicot and has C3 photosynthesis.
Gamble Oak has lobed leaves with 5 to 9 lobes per leaf. Its leaves are on average from 2 to 6 in long or 5 to 15 cm. During the fall, the leaves can range in color from a beautiful light yellow and orange to a beguiling bright red.
The shrub/tree at its very largest can reach heights of 65 to 70 feet, which is up to 21 meters. It however, is usually much smaller not reaching over 40 feet or 12 meters.
The Gambel's acorns are about ¾ to 1 in or 1.9 to 2.54 cm. It is usually found on dry Utah slopes. In a few places in Colorado, it has been seen all the way up to 10,200 feet or 3,110 meters. However, it is mostly found in lower elevations, usually between 4,000 to 9,000 feet or 1,200 to 2,700 meters.
Links For the Photos can be accessed in the citations section
Citations
Petrides, G. (1992). A field guide to Western trees: Western United States and Canada. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Harper, Kimball T.; Wagstaff, Fred J.; Kunzler, Lynn M. 1985. Biology management of the Gambel oak vegetative type: a literature review. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT 179. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Expe
http://www.rootcellar.us/wildflowers/oak.htm
http://theabsentmindedgardener.wordpress.com/
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/quegam/introductory.html