Chestnut oak inhabits upland dry woods. It is believed to have received its name from the resemblance of its leaves to those of American chestnut. However, a leaf of chestnut oak and chestnut leaf don't have much in common! Our explanation is that chestnut oak used to share habitats with chestnut prior to the collapse of chestnut forests. This photo was taken off Chestnut Run Path in the Blue Hills, where you can still find abundant shrubby remnants of chestnuts along the trail and imagine their reign here some 150-200 years ago. As you can judge from this photo, chestnut oaks are now rather common here, probably taking over the space formerly occupied by chestnuts.