Quercus faginea
{{Short description|Species of oak tree}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Portuguese oak
| image = Quejigo de la Molinera.JPG
| genus = Quercus
| display_parents = 2
| parent = Quercus sect. Quercus
| species = faginea
| authority = Lam.
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| range_map = Quercus faginea range.svg
| range_map_caption = Distribution map
| synonyms_ref = {{ThePlantList |id=kew-172690 |taxon=Quercus faginea |authority=Lam.}}
| synonyms =
- Quercus alpestris Boiss.
- Quercus villariana A.Camus
- Quercus tlemcenensis (A. DC.) Trab.
}}
Quercus faginea, the Portuguese oak, is a species of oak native to the western Mediterranean region in the Iberian Peninsula. Similar trees in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa are usually included in this species, or sometimes treated as a distinct species, Quercus tlemcenensis. It occurs in mountains from sea level to {{Convert|1900|m|abbr=off}} above sea level, and flourishes in a variety of soils and climates. Out of all the oak forests in the Iberian Peninsula, the southern populations of Portuguese oak were found to have the highest diversity and endemism of spider species.{{cite journal |last1=Malumbres-Olarte |first1=Jagoba |last2=Crespo |first2=Luís Carlos |last3=Domènech |first3=Marc |last4=Cardoso |first4=Pedro |last5=Moya-Laraño |first5=Jordi |last6=Ribera |first6=Carles |last7=Arnedo |first7=Miquel A. |title=How Iberian are we? Mediterranean climate determines structure and endemicity of spider communities in Iberian oak forests |journal=Biodiversity and Conservation |date=2020-12-01 |volume=29 |issue=14 |pages=3973–3996 |doi=10.1007/s10531-020-02058-7 |bibcode=2020BiCon..29.3973M |hdl=10138/337709 |s2cid=225151221 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-020-02058-7 |access-date=11 June 2021 |language=en |issn=1572-9710|hdl-access=free }}{{cite web |last1=Sequeira |first1=Inês |title=Cientistas descobrem que é nos bosques de carvalho-português que há mais espécies de aranhas |url=https://www.wilder.pt/historias/cientistas-descobrem-que-e-nos-bosques-de-carvalho-portugues-que-ha-mais-especies-de-aranhas/ |website=Wilder |access-date=11 June 2021 |language=pt-PT |date=2020-11-16}}
Description
Q. faginea is a medium-sized deciduous or semi-evergreen tree growing to {{Convert|20|m|abbr=off}} tall, with a trunk up to {{Convert|80|cm|abbr=off}} in diameter, with grey-brown bark. The tree can live as long as 600 years. The leaves are {{Convert|4–10|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} long and 1.2–4 cm broad (rarely to 15 cm long and 5 cm broad), glossy dark green to gray-green above, and variably felted grey-white below; the margins have five to 12 pairs of irregular teeth. Leaf fall is typically in mid- to late winter. The flowers are catkins, produced between March and April, almost always before holm oak, which grows in similar areas. The acorns are oblong-ovoid, 2–2.5 cm long, maturing in 6 months to disperse in September or October.{{Flora Europaea |genus=Quercus |species=faginea}}Bean, W. J. (1976). Trees and shrubs hardy in the British Isles 8th ed., revised. John Murray.Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins {{ISBN|0-00-220013-9}}.
The species commonly develops galls due to gall wasp activity; the galls are brown, 1–2 cm diameter, and have a spongy, cork-like interior.CAB International (2005). [http://www.cabicompendium.org/NamesLists/FC/Full/QUE_F1.htm data on Quercus faginea, Forestry Compendium] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009072143/http://www.cabicompendium.org/NamesLists/FC/Full/QUE_F1.htm |date=October 9, 2007 }}. Retrieved 27 July 2006.
The two subspecies are:
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Image | Scientific name | Description | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120px | subsp. faginea | Rarely exceeds 15 meters in height, smaller, greener, dentate-serrate leaves, shorter catkins (2–4 cm), distributed through more continental climates around 500-1500m altitude. Predominant subspecies in Spain. | Native to the Iberian Peninsula |
| 120px | subsp. broteroi (Cout.) A.Camus (syn. Q. tlemcenensis) | Can reach up to 20m in height, larger, densely tomentous, ashen, crenate-dentate leaves and longer catkins (4-7.5cm), distributed alongside rivers and streams, slopes and valleys up to 700m altitude.{{cite web |url=http://www.floraiberica.es/floraiberica/texto/pdfs/02_041_03_Quercus.pdf |title=Quercus faginea |publisher=Flora Iberica |access-date=September 12, 2020}} Predominant subspecies in Portugal. | Native mainly to Northwest Africa and the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula |
Portuguese oak also hybridises readily with other related oaks such as Algerian oak (Q. canariensis) and downy oak (Q. pubescens), which can make identification difficult.
The specific name faginea refers to the superficial resemblance of the leaves to those of the beech (Fagus).
Uses
The wood has been used traditionally as firewood and as timber for construction (beams and posts). The acorns, like those of the holm oak or cork oak, are an important food for free-range black Iberian pigs reared for jamón ibérico production. It is also occasionally planted as an ornamental tree.
Gallery
Quercus faginea Archidona.jpg|Quercus faginea in wintertime
Quercus faginea e bugalho.JPG|Quercus faginea subsp. broteroi
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons|Quercus faginea}}
- [http://jeanlouis.helardot.free.fr/page_chenes/quercus_faginea.htm Jean Louis Helardot, Chênes: Quercus faginea] {{in lang|fr}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2432250}}
Category:Flora of North Africa
Category:Trees of Mediterranean climate