Oaks of the World

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  Quercus iberica
Author Steven ex Bieb. 1808 Fl. Taur.-Caucas. 2: 402
Synonyms Q.petraea subsp iberica (Stev.) Krassiln. 1968 Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 5: 86
petraea subsp. medwediewii (A.Camus) Menitsky 1968
lanuginosa subsp medwediewii A.Camus 1935
robur var. dshorochensis (K.Koch) A.DC 1864
lamprophyllos K.Koch. 1849
sessiliflora var. iberica (Stev. ex Bieb.) Ledeb. 1851
dschorochensis K.Koch. 1849 (A. Camus = n° 156)
sessileiflora var. dschorochensis (K.Koch) Medw. 1908
petraea subsp dshorochensis (K Koch) Menitsky 1968
pubescens var. iberica (Stev. ex Bieb.) Wenzig 1886
hypochrysa Stev. 1857
colchica Czeczott 1932
kozlovskyi Woronow ex Grossh. 1930
kochiana O.Schwarz 1937
polycarpa Schur 1851
rhodopaea Velen. 1893
Local names Georgian oak ;
Range Transcaucasus, from Slovenia to the Balkans, NW Turquey, the Crimea, North Iran; to 1800 m;
Growth habit varying in size;
Leaves 8-10 x 4-4.5 cm; rather leathery; oboval; base rounded or slightly cordate; hairless, dark green above; shortly and scarcely hairy beneath, with long, pale brown hairs along midrib; 6-10 pairs of shallow, rounded lobes; some sinusal veins near base or absent; few secondary veins, not parallel; petiole tomentose at first;
Flowers male on long catkins; female solitary on short inflorescences;
Fruits acorn 1.5-2 cm long; peduncle short (to 5 mm); 3 or 4 together; enclosed 1/2 by cup; cup half-round, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, thick, with narrow appressed scales;

Bark, twigs and
buds

bark whitish grey, furrowed into long scales; twig pubescent, becoming hairless; bud large, pointed, brown;
Hardiness zone, habitat hardy; prefers sunny sites; all types of soils;
Miscellaneous -- A.Camus : n° 159, plate 37/121;
-- Sub-genus Quercus, Section Quercus, Series Roburoid;
-- Its name comes from "Iberia", an area in the Caucasus (nothing to do with Spain...);
-- Often confused with Q.petraea, but differs in having a stalked acorn, and larger leaves, more leathery, more pubescent beneath, with more, shorter lobes (not reaching the 1/3 of half a blade);
Subspecies and
varieties

species actually strongly polymorphous (numerous geographical breeds);

-- Q.hypochrysa Stev.1857 (A.Camus n° 160)
it is a variety with leaves thinner, longer, and with golden stellate tomentum beneath; acorns 2 to 4 on a peduncle as long as the petiole; for Menitsky and for Govaerts & Frodin it is a synonym of Q.iberica;

-- Q.polycarpa Schur1851
it is a small tree, with buds, mature leaves and twigs glabrous; leaves 6-10 cm, leathery, elliptic, sinuate margin, 7-10 small lobes; petiole 1.5-3.5 cm long; acorn scales coarsely oval, pointed, warty, pilose, brownish;
SE Europe, to Czechoslovakia;

-- For Menistky (1974), Q. dschorochensis C.Koch (= kochiana O.Schwarz 1937) is a sub-species of Q.petraea in Turkey (basin of Dschoroch River in the South East of the Black Sea, on dry, sunny, rocky slopes), differing from it by having oblong or oblong oval leaves, 5-8(10) cm long x 3-4 wide, and a quite different habitat; but in the Flora of Turkey it is a synonym of Q. iberica (as for Govaerts & Frodin). Very probable introgression with Q.infectoria. Some taxa, described as species (Q.woronowii) are also probable introgressions with the former; moreover, Q. woronowii is for Govaerts, 2007, a synonym for Q. boissieri.
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