Quercus

Quercus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the oaks, in the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 600 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus (stone oaks), as well as in those of unrelated species such as Grevillea robusta (silky oaks) and the Casuarinaceae (she-oaks). The genus is native to the Northern Hemisphere, and includes deciduous and evergreen species extending from cool temperate to tropical latitudes in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Taxonomy

The genus Quercus is divided into two subgenera:

• Subgenus Quercus (synonyms Lepidobalanus and Leucobalanus), the white oaks of Europe, Asia and North America. Styles are short; acorns mature in 6 months and taste sweet or slightly bitter; the inside of an acorn shell is hairless.
• Subgenus Cyclobalanopsis (synonym Erythrobalanus), the ring-cupped oaks of eastern and southeastern Asia. Styles long, acorns mature in about 6 months and taste very bitter; the inside of this acorn's shell is hairless.

Distribution and habitat

Oaks are found in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They are found in a variety of habitats, from coastal to mountainous regions.

Uses

Oaks are used for their timber, for their acorns which are a food source for many animals, and for their tannins which are used in the leather industry.

See also

• List of Quercus species
• Oak apple
• Oak gall

External links

• International Oak Society
• Flora of Alabama: Quercus

Quercus Resources
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