Quercus alnifolia

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Quercus alnifolia
Golden oak.JPG
A golden oak tree
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Cerris
Section: Quercus sect. Ilex
Species:
Q. alnifolia
Binomial name
Quercus alnifolia
Synonyms [2]
  • Quercus alnifolia var. argenteaHadjik. & Hand
  • Quercus cypria Jaub. & Spach

Quercus alnifolia, commonly known as the golden oak, is an evergreen oak species of Cyprus. Its common English name refers to the golden coloured lower surface of its leaves. Quercus alnifolia belongs to the endemic flora of the island and it is confined to the igneous geological complex of the Troodos Mountains. In February 2006, the parliament of Cyprus selected the golden oak to be the country's national tree. [3]

Contents

Description

The golden oak is a much branched evergreen shrub or small tree up to 10 m (33 ft) high. Due to its short stature (in relation to other oaks) it is sometimes referred to as the dwarf oak. [4]

Its leaves are simple, obovate to suborbicular, 1.5–8 cm (0.59–3.15 in) long, 1–7 cm (0.39–2.76 in) wide, glabrous and shining dark green above and densely golden or brownish tomentose below, with serrate margins and raised nervation. The petioles are strong, 6–11 mm (0.24–0.43 in) long and pilose. The flowers are unisexual; the male catkins are greenish-yellow forming spreading or pendulous clusters at the tips of the branches; the female flowers are axillary, solitary or in groups of two to three. The acorns are narrowly obovate or subcylindrical, usually tapering towards the base, 2–2.5 cm (0.79–0.98 in) long and 0.8–1.2 cm (0.31–0.47 in) wide, with a woody endocarp and cupule with strongly recurved scales. [5]

Taxonomy

A golden oak shrub in a pine stand near Karvounas, Troodos Mountains Golden oak2.JPG
A golden oak shrub in a pine stand near Karvounas, Troodos Mountains

Quercus alnifolia belongs to subgenus Cerris, section Ilex, as with much of the mediterranean evergreen oak species. [6] Occasional hybridization with kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) has been described. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Quercus alnifolia is restricted to Troodos Massif, where it grows on igneous geological substrate at altitudes of 400 to 1,800 m (1,300 to 5,900 ft). [8] It occupies dry habitats in association with Pinus brutia or forms dense maquis in mesic habitats, characterized by deep forest soils. [9]

Ecology

Golden oak offers soil stabilisation against erosion due to its ability to colonize stony and rocky slopes. In its distribution area, Q. alnifolia is the most important broadleaved species forming pure or mixed stands, within the conifer (Pinus brutia, Pinus nigra ) dominated forests of Cyprus. Thick stands of Q. alnifolia in mesic habitats, considerably modify the humidity conditions of the site and form forest soils with "mull" humus favouring the existence of sciophilous herbal species.

Like other members of the oak genus, Q. alnifolia forms mutually beneficial, ectomycorrhizal associations with various fungi. A preliminary study in 2011, reported over 80 mycorrhizal fungi to be associated with the golden oak; the total number, however, is estimated to be much higher. [10]

Conservation

Golden oak is protected by the forest law of Cyprus, while the habitat type "Scrub and low forest vegetation of Quercus alnifolia (9390)" is a priority habitat of Europe (directive 92/43/EEC). [11] Large forest expanses of the species have been proposed for inclusion in the Natura 2000 ecological network of the European Union.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Cyprus</span>

Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Basin of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, after the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, and the 80th-largest island in the world by area. It is located south of the Anatolian Peninsula, yet it belongs to the Cyprus Arc. Geographically, Cyprus is located in West Asia, but the country is considered a European country in political geography. Cyprus also had lengthy periods of mainly Greek and intermittent Anatolian, Levantine, Byzantine, Turkish, and Western European influence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak</span> Tree or shrub in the genus Quercus

An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus Quercus of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere; it includes some 500 species, both deciduous and evergreen. Fossil oaks date back to the Middle Eocene. Molecular phylogeny shows that the genus is divided into Old World and New World clades, but many oak species hybridise freely, making the genus's history difficult to resolve.

<i>Quercus wislizeni</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus wislizeni, known by the common name interior live oak, is an evergreen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in many areas of California in the United States continuing south into northern Baja California in Mexico. It generally occurs in foothills, being most abundant in the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada, but also widespread in the Pacific Coast Ranges—where since 1980 it has been known as a separate species Quercus parvula—and the San Gabriel Mountains. It was named for its collector, Friedrich Adolph Wislizenus (1810–1889).

<i>Pinus brutia</i> Species of conifer

Pinus brutia, commonly known as the Turkish pine and Calabrian pine, is a species of pine native to the eastern Mediterranean region. The bulk of its range is in Turkey, but certain varieties are naturalized as far east as Afghanistan. It is also known as East Mediterranean pine, Afghan pine, and Brutia pine. The name "Calabrian pine" comes from an introduced grove in the Calabria region of southern Italy; historically this region was called Bruttium, which is likely where the specific epithet "brutia" comes from. Pinus brutia bears many similarities with other, closely related species such as Pinus halepensis and Pinus canariensis. Turkish pine forms a species complex with the former.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic coastal pine barrens</span> Temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of Northeast United States

The Atlantic coastal pine barrens is a now rare temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the Northeast United States distinguished by unique species and topographical features, generally nutrient-poor, often acidic soils and a pine tree distribution once controlled by frequent fires.

<i>Quercus coccifera</i> Species of tree

Quercus coccifera, the kermes oak, is an oak bush in the Ilex section of the genus. It has many synonyms, including Quercus calliprinos. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, south to north from Morocco to France and west to east from Portugal to Cyprus and Turkey, crossing Spain, Italy, Libya, Balkans, and Greece, including Crete. The Kermes Oak was historically important as the food plant of Kermes scale insects, from which a red dye called crimson was obtained. The etymology of the specific name coccifera is related to the production of red cochineal (crimson) dye and derived from Latin coccum which was from Greek κόκκος, the kermes insect. The Latin -fera means 'bearer'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California mixed evergreen forest</span> Plant community in California and Oregon, US

California mixed evergreen forest is a plant community found in the mountain ranges of California and southwestern Oregon.

<i>Quercus chrysolepis</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus chrysolepis, commonly termed canyon live oak, canyon oak, golden cup oak or maul oak, is a North American species of evergreen oak that is found in Mexico and in the western United States, notably in the California Coast Ranges. This tree is often found near creeks and drainage swales growing in moist cool microhabitats. Its leaves are a glossy dark green on the upper surface with prominent spines; a further identification arises from the leaves of canyon live oak being geometrically flat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrrhenian–Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Southern Europe

The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Atlantic coastal forests</span> Temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States

The Middle Atlantic coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forest mixed with patches of evergreen broadleaved forests along the coast of the southeastern United States.

<i>Rhamnus lycioides</i> Species of shrub

Rhamnus lycioides, the black hawthorn, European buckthorn, or Mediterranean buckthorn, is a shrub up to about 1 metre tall in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It is found in the Mediterranean region, in southern Europe and northern Africa. Its scientific name lycioides refers to its resemblance to the botanical genus Lycium.

<i>Lyonia lucida</i> Species of flowering plant

Lyonia lucida is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae known by the common names fetterbush lyonia, hurrahbush, and staggerbush. Other plants may also be called fetterbush. This broadleaved evergreen plant grows on the coastal plain of the southeastern United States from Virginia to Florida to Louisiana. It also occurs in Cuba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeastern conifer forests</span> Temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States

The Southeastern conifer forests are a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion of the southeastern United States. It is the largest conifer forest ecoregion east of the Mississippi River. It is also the southernmost instance of temperate coniferous forest within the Nearctic realm.

<i>Tricholoma caligatum</i> Species of fungus

Tricholoma caligatum is a mushroom of the agaric genus Tricholoma. It is a large species with a distinct sheathing ring on the stem, found in mycorrhizal association with various trees throughout the Mediterranean. It is sometimes referred to as the European Matsutake, though it is certainly gastronomically inferior to the true Matsutake, a related species highly prized in Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Greece, Turkey, and North Macedonia

The Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in the lands around the Aegean Sea. The ecoregion covers most of mainland Greece, the Greek Aegean Islands, the western coast of Turkey, the southern Vardar river valley in North Macedonia, the southern Struma river valley at the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paphos Forest</span>

The Paphos Forest is a state forest located in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus with an area of 70,000 hectares. It has been a Permanent Game Preserve since 1938.

<i>Leccinellum lepidum</i> Species of fungus

Leccinellum lepidum is a species of bolete in the family Boletaceae. Originally described as Boletus lepidus in 1965, the fungus has gone through controversial taxonomic treatments over the years and was subsequently transferred to genus Krombholziella in 1985, to genus Leccinum in 1990, and to genus Leccinellum in 2003. It is the sister-species of Leccinellum corsicum, with which it had been erroneously synonymised by some authors in the past.

Quercus affinis is a species of oak native only to Mexico, mostly to the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus Mediterranean forests</span>

The Cyprus Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the island of Cyprus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crete Mediterranean forests</span>

The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the Greek island of Crete.

References

  1. Gorener, V.; Beech, E. (2017). "Quercus alnifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T194053A2295358. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T194053A2295358.en . Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  2. "Quercus alnifolia Poech". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  3. Leonidou, Leo (February 3, 2006). "A flower for Cyprus". Cyprus Mail . Retrieved 2007-12-30.[ dead link ]
  4. Ashmore, Wendy; Arthur Bernard Knapp (1999). Archaeologies of Landscape: Contemporary Perspectives. Blackwell. p. 237. ISBN   0-631-21106-3.
  5. Meikle, R.D. (1985). Flora of Cyprus. London: Bentham Moxon Trust. pp. 1481–1482. ISBN   0-9504876-3-5.
  6. Denk, Thomas; Grimm, Guido W.; Manos, Paul S.; Deng, Min & Hipp, Andrew L. (2017). "Appendix 2.1: An updated infrageneric classification of the oaks" (xls). figshare. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  7. Neophytou, Ch.; Palli G.; Aravanopoulos F.A. (2007). "Morphological differentiation and hybridization between Quercus alnifolia Poech and Quercus coccifera L. (Fagaceae) in Cyprus" (PDF). Silvae Genetica. 56 (6): 271–277. doi: 10.1515/sg-2007-0038 . S2CID   91154432. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
  8. Merlo, Maurizio (2005). Valuing Mediterranean Forests: Towards Total Economic Value. CABI Publishing. p. 217. ISBN   0-85199-480-6.
  9. Barbéro, M.; Quézel P. (1979). "Contribution à l' étude des groupements forestiers de Chypre". Documents Phytosociologiques (IV): 9–34.
  10. Loizides, M. (2011). Quercus alnifolia: The indigenous golden oak of Cyprus and its fungi. Field Mycology 12 (3): 81–88. doi:10.1016/j.fldmyc.2011.06.004.
  11. "Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora". EUR-Lex. European Union law. 1992-07-22. Retrieved 2008-01-01.