| Quercus kotschyana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Fagaceae |
| Genus: | Quercus |
| Subgenus: | Quercus subg. Quercus |
| Section: | Quercus sect. Quercus |
| Species: | Q. kotschyana |
| Binomial name | |
| Quercus kotschyana O.Schwarz | |
Quercus kotschyana is a species of oak endemic to the mountains of Lebanon. [2] [1] It is placed in subgenus Quercus, section Quercus. [3]
It is a large deciduous species, attaining heights up to 25 meters. [4] It bears large, pubescent and strongly lobed leaves and overall resembles Quercus pyrenaica from the western Mediterranean and the likewise endemic Quercus vulcanica from Turkey. [5] It was first described by Otto Schwarz[ de], who named it in honour of Theodor Kotschy, an Austrian botanist who had travelled extensively in the region.
Quercus kotschyana grows in the northern Lebanon Mountains, on west-facing slopes between 1,650 and 1,950 metres elevation. There are eight subpopulations in the mountains, at Danniyeh, Ehden, Bsharri, Tannourine, Jaj, Jord Akoura, Jord Keserwan, and Zaarour. The species' range is small, with an estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) of 440 km2, and an estimated area of occupancy (AOO) of 32 km2. [1]
Quercus kotschyana is found in montane forests dominated by Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani), where it grows either as an understory tree among cedars, or co-dominant in stands with other broadleaved trees. Other associated trees include Juniperus excelsa , Torminalis glaberrima , Aria graeca , Crateagus spp., Acer hyrcanum subsp. tauricolum, and Acer monspessulanum subsp. microphyllum. It is not associated with any other species of oak. [1]
The species' range is very restricted, and there are estimated to be 5,000 mature trees, with fewer than 1,000 in the largest population. The species' population is currently stable, and is threatened with further habitat loss from climate change, logging and development, and pests and disease. Several populations, including those at Horsh Ehden, Tannourine, Bsharri, Jaj, and Danniyeh, are in protected areas which prohibit forest cutting. Most of the protected areas permit livestock grazing which can limit the trees' regeneration. Its conservation status is assessed as Endangered. [1]
Cedrus libani, the cedar of Lebanon or Lebanese cedar, is a species of tree in the genus cedrus, a part of the pine family, native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religious and historical significance in the cultures of the Middle East, and is referenced many times in the literature of ancient civilisations. It is the national emblem of Lebanon and is widely used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
Cedrus atlantica, the Atlas cedar, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae, native to the Rif and Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and to the Tell Atlas in Algeria. A majority of the modern sources treat it as a distinct species Cedrus atlantica, but some sources consider it a subspecies of Lebanon cedar.
Quercus pubescens, commonly known as the downy oak, pubescent oak or Italian oak, is a species of white oak native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. It is found from northern Spain (Pyrenees) and France in the West to Turkey and the Caucasus in the East.
Bsharri District is one of the 7 districts of the North Governorate, Lebanon.
Hirkan National Park — is a national park of Azerbaijan. It was established in an area in Lankaran Rayon and Astara Rayon administrative districts on February 9, 2004 on the basis of the former "Hirkan State Reserve" which it superseded, on a surface area of 29,760 hectares (297.6 km2). It was enlarged by presidential decree on April 23, 2008 from 29,760 hectares (297.6 km2) to 40,358 hectares (403.58 km2).
Abies cilicica, also known as Cilician fir or Taurus fir, is a species of conifer in the family Pinaceae. It is found in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Abies cilicica and Cedrus libani, together with Acer hyrcanum subsp. tauricolum and Sorbus torminalis subsp. orientalis, are the predominant trees in the phytocoenosis Abeti-Cedrion, a type of forest of the middle and eastern Taurus Mountains of Turkey. These forests occur between 800 and 2,100 meters elevation. Over 5,000 years of logging, burning, and grazing have reduced these forests to enclaves.
Horsh Ehden is a nature reserve located in North Lebanon. It contains a forest of the cedar of Lebanon, making it a part of the country's cultural and natural heritage. Located on the northwestern slopes of Mount Lebanon with high precipitation, it hosts numerous rare and endemic plants. Stands of cedars also include a mixed forest of juniper, fir, and the country's last protected community of wild apple trees. In the forest are endangered eastern imperial eagles or Bonelli's eagles, gray wolves, wildcats, golden jackals, and red foxes. Valleys and gorges also have wild orchids, salamanders, mushrooms, and other flora and fauna.
Quercus germana, the Mexican royal oak, is a species of oak tree in the family Fagaceae. It is native to mountain cloud forests in eastern Mexico. It is placed in section Quercus.
The Lebanon Mountain Trail is a long-distance hiking trail in Lebanon. It extends from Andaket in north of Lebanon to Marjayoun in the south along a 470 km (290 mi) path that transects more than 76 towns and villages at altitudes ranging from 570 to 2,073 meters above sea level.
Tannourine is a Lebanese town located in the Batroun District, part of the Governorate of North Lebanon, 80 km from the capital Beirut. Tannourine is formed by a cluster of mountain settlements located in the highs of the Batroun District, the largest of which is Tannourine El-Fawqa, followed by Chatine,Tannourine El-Tahta, and Wata Houb. Tannourine has a population of approximately 25,000.
Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis, the Valonia oak, is a subspecies of Quercus ithaburensis, a member of the beech family, Fagaceae. It may also be treated as a separate species, Quercus macrolepis.
Quercus ithaburensis, the Mount Tabor oak, is a tree in the beech family Fagaceae. It is found from southeastern Italy to the Palestine region. It is the national tree of Jordan. Two subspecies are accepted, Quercus ithaburensis subsp. ithaburensis and Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis. Together with Quercus brantii, it forms a clade of distinct, closely related species within the oak section Cerris.
Jaj is a mountainous village in the Byblos District of Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate, Lebanon. It is 68 kilometers north of Beirut. Jaj has an average elevation of 1,220 meters above sea level and a total land area of 1,174 hectares. Its inhabitants are predominantly Maronite Catholics. Jaj is known for its cedar trees high in the mountains. The village is home to many families many of whom come up primarily on weekends.
Forests cover 13.6% of Lebanon, and other wooded lands represents 11%. Since 2011, more than 600,000 trees, including cedars and other native species, have been planted throughout Lebanon as part of the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI). More reforestation efforts are needed. For example, the 40 hectares of Cedrus libani at Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve could be expanded to 3,000 hectares. The Friends of the Cedar Forest Committee planted 200,000 cedars, with 180,000 surviving. The Committee goal was to create a corridor connecting the cedar forests o of Bcharre, Ehden, and Tannourine with each other to create an ecosystem in order to make the forests more resilient to future environmental pressures.
Quercus vulcanica is a species of flowering plant in the Fagaceae family. It is referred to by the common name Kasnak oak, and is a rare species of tree native to Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. It is placed in section Quercus.
The total forest area of Azerbaijan is 1,021,880 ha or 11.8% of the country's area. The forest biomes consist of temperate deciduous forests, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests and riparian forests. Specialists estimate that in the 8th-9th centuries the forest cover was around 30-35%, most of it situated in mountainous areas.
Iris cedreti is a species of flowering plant in the genus Iris; it is also in the subgenus of Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial endemic to Lebanon. It has long narrow leaves, short stem, and flowers with a white background which is covered with very small dots or veins of dark maroon, purple, purplish-maroon, or almost black. It has a dark maroon signal patch with a brownish or purplish beard. It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions, as it needs very dry conditions during the summer. It is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN.
The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the Pyrenees mountains which run east and west along the border between France and Spain, and includes all Andorra. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Pyrenees to its highest peaks, which include Aneto, Posets, and Vignemale.
Quercus look, the look oak or Mount Hermon oak, is a species of oak in subgenus Cerris, section Cerris, native to the Levant region of Western Asia, including northern Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Of the local oak species, it prefers to grow at the highest altitudes, for instance at c. 1800 m on Mount Hermon.
