Quercus castanea

Quercus castanea is a species of oak tree. It is widespread across much of Mexico, from Sonora to Chiapas, and in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.[3][4][1]

Quercus castanea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Quercus
Section: Quercus sect. Lobatae
Species:
Q. castanea
Binomial name
Quercus castanea
Synonyms[2]
List
  • Quercus alamosensis Trel.
  • Quercus axillaris E.Fourn. ex Trel.
  • Quercus circummontana Trel.
  • Quercus consociata Trel.
  • Quercus crassivenosa Trel.
  • Quercus impressa Trel.
  • Quercus lanigera M.Martens & Galeotti
  • Quercus mucronata Willd.
  • Quercus pulchella Bonpl.
  • Quercus rossii Trel.
  • Quercus scherzeri Trel.
  • Quercus seleri Trel.
  • Quercus serrulata Trel.
  • Quercus simillima Trel.
  • Quercus spathulistipula Trel.
  • Quercus subcrispata Trel.
  • Quercus tepoxuchilensis Trel.
  • Quercus tristis Liebm.
  • Quercus verrucosirama Trel.

Description

It is a deciduous tree up to 15 metres (49 feet) tall with a trunk as much as 80 cm (31 in) in diameter. The leaves are thick and leathery, up to 11.6 cm (4+1⁄2 in) long, and elliptical with numerous pointed teeth along the edges.[3] It flowers from March to June, and its acorns mature between October and December.[1]

The species is known to hybridize with other sympatric red oak species across its range.[1]

Range and habitat

Quercus castanea is native to the mountains of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. In Mexico, the species inhabits the Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre Occidental, Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Sierra Madre de Oaxaca, and Sierra Madre del Sur between 1,400 and 2,600 meters elevation. It also inhabits the Sierra Madre de Chiapas of Mexico Mexico and Guatemala, and the Montecristo Massif where the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras meet. In Guatemala Q. castanea has been reported up to 3,500 meters elevation. The species' estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) is 1,110,000 km2, based on over 500 collections and herbarium records.[1]

The species is found in a variety of montane habitats. It is common in dry oak forests, xerophytic shrublands, and open oak woodlands alongside cacti and trees of family Leguminaceae. It also grows in humid montane cloud forests.[1]

In the Cuitzeo Basin of central Mexico, acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) and golden-fronted woodpeckers (Melanerpes aurifrons) are important acorn dispersers.[1]

References
  1. Wenzell , K. & Kenny, L. 2015. Quercus castanea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T194073A2296266. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194073A2296266.en. Accessed 1 October 2022.
  2. "Quercus castanea Née". 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. Romero Rangel, S., E. C. Rojas Zenteno & M. L. Aguilar Enríquez. 2002. El género Quercus (Fagaceae) en el estado de México. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89(4): 551–593 in Spanish, with line drawings of each species
  4. McVaugh, R. 1974. Flora Novo-Galiciana: Fagaceae. Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium 12(1,3): 1–93
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