Oaks of the World

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  Quercus afares
Author Pomel 1874 Nouv. Mat. Fl. Atl. 391 1875.
Synonyms castaneifolia subsp afares (Pomel) Maire 1993
castaneifolia auctores not C.A.Mey.
castaneifolia var. incana Batt. & Trab. 1890
castaneifolia var. virescens Batt. & Trab. 1890
castaneifolia var. algeriensis Bean 1914
cerridolepis O.Schwarz 1935
cerrifolia H.Villar 1937
Local names
Range Algeria, Tunisia; in mountains;
Growth habit 25 m high; pyramidal crown when young;
Leaves 7-14 cm long, 4-7 cm wide; not leathery; marcescent; oblong-lanceolate, oval-oblong, oval-lanceolate or subelliptic-lanceolate; apex slightly attenuate; base rounded or cordate; margin with 8-12 pairs of triangular teeth with a short mucro, with rounded sinuses ; shiny green above with some stellate hairs ; short, whitish tomentum beneath, especially along veins; falling in the end of winter; 8-15 vein pairs very prominent beneath, at an angle of 40° with midrib; petiole hairy, 0.5-1 cm long.
Flowers male catkin 5-7 cm long, pubescent; female catkin very short;
Fruits acorn 4 cm long, singly or to 3 (sometimes more) on a short, 1 cm long peduncle; enclosed for 1/3 of length in a subhemispheric cup that resembles the cup of Q. cerris; maturing in 2 years;

Bark, twigs and
buds

rough, somewhat corky, deeply furrowed bark; twig tomentose at first, becoming glabrous; terminal bud tomentose, with deciduous, felted stipules;
Hardiness zone, habitat hardy ; all types of soils ; fast growing ;
Miscellaneous -- A. Camus : tome 1, p. 557, n° 118;
-- Sub-genus Cerris, Section Cerris;
-- Threatened (IUCN Red List Category : VU).
-- Very close to Q.castaneifolia;

Subspecies and
varieties
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