Quercus L.
Oak
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Fagales Birch, she-oak, beech, walnut, bayberry, others
Family Fagaceae Beech familhy
Genus Quercus Latin for “oak”
About plant names...
The genus Quercus, Latin for "oak," includes some 400 species worldwide, of which about 90 are found
in North America.
Identification: Most species of oaks can be differentiated
by examining leaf shapes, but it isn't easy, since leaf shape in many oaks is extremely variable.
Even a single tree can bear a wide range of leaf shapes. Try to assess "average" shape before
making a determination based on leaf shape. If acorns are available, their shape is another important
identifying characteristic. Many oaks have restricted ranges, another clue.
Following are some species comparisons:
(Quercus ) · 5/29/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) Species not yet identified
Quercus agrifolia
Quercus alba
Quercus bicolor
Common Name
coast live oak
Eastern white oak
swamp white oak
Plant
These evergreens reach 20-82′ (6-25 m), with trunks up to 4′ (1.2 m) around. Trunks are short and the crowns are wide.
65-80′ (19-24 m) tall, with a wide crown.
65-80′ (19-24 m) tall.
Flowers
Male flowers are catkins 1¾-4″ (5-10 cm) long. Female flowers are ⅛″ (5 mm) long, in clusters of one to three, barely noticeable.
Leaves
Dark green, thick, glossy, oval in shape, alternating, edged with sharp fibers. They are ¾-2½″ (2-7 cm) × ⅜-1½″ (1-4 cm).
Leaves 4-8″ (10-20 cm) long. Leaf tips are rounded.
Leaves are 4-8″ (10-20 cm) long, with many small rounded or slightly sharp lobes.
Stem
Bark is smooth and gray-brown when the tree is young, becoming darker and somewhat furrowed later.
Fruit
Acorns are 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) long and ⅜-½″ (1-1.5 cm) wide, conical in shape.
Acorns ¾-1″ (1.9-2.5 cm) long. Bumpy cap covers about ¼ of the nut.
Acorns are about 1″ (2.5 cm) long, tan, with one or two on a long stalk.
Range/ Zones
Habitats
Mixed evergreen forests, foothill woodlands, southern oak woodlands
Type
Wild
Wild
Wild
Occurrence
Uncommon
Common
Common
Leaves
Leaves are deeply lobed, 3-7″ (7.6-17 cm) long, with sharp hairlike tips. Shiny dark green.
Leaves are 2-5″ (5-12 cm) long, shiny and dark green on top, whitish underneath.
About 6″ (13 cm) long, sometimes up to 1′ (38 cm), and very deeply divided. They are yellow-brown in the fall.
Online References:
Wikipedia (Quercus)
Wikipedia (Quercus)
References:
Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees , Alfred A. Knopf, 2009 , DirrHardyTS
Little, Elbert L., National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region , Alfred A. Knopf, 1980
(Quercus ) · 5/29/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) Species not yet identified
Oak (Quercus ) · 11/11/2008 · Acorn Trail, Great Brook State Park, Carlisle, Massachusetts · ≈ 2½ × 1½′ (84 × 56 cm) Species not yet identified
(Quercus ) · 4/23/2010 · Nashua Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) Species not yet identified
Quercus description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
(Quercus ) · 4/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm) Species not yet identified
(Quercus ) · 1/8/2012 · Groton Place and Sabine Woods, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) Species not yet identified
(Quercus ) · 9/25/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) Species not yet identified
(Quercus ) · 5/31/2010 · Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) Species not yet identified
(Quercus ) · 9/29/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm) Species not yet identified
Range:
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