The author

My name is Jean-Louis Hélardot. I am a French Physician (oto-rhino-laryngologist) born in 1942, currently retired. I have a wife and two daughters.
Besides my job, I always had a passion for trees, especially Oaks, Maples, Conifers. This passion led me to carry out my website since 1987. I also have a small Arboretum (nearly 2 hectares), in Corrèze where I live, with a collection of Oaks and Maples, started in 1981.
The botanical and taxonomical data that constitute my website have been widely drawn from the books and websites listed in the page "Bibliography", and I can't thank them enough.
Moreover, I am filled with gratitude to the persons who helped me spontaneously with their knowledge, advice, criticism, or who gave me pictures and specimens for my Arboretum. Here is the list of some of them :

- Béatrice Chassé and Gérard Lionet, Dordogne, France. They have a wonderfull Arboretum which will soon become the richest in France; their collection of Quercus is yet the biggest. Since 2009, Béatrice is President of the International Oak Society. In 2015, their website is created : http://www.arboretumpouyouleix.com

- Dirk Benoit, Belgian Nurserymam, specialist and passionately fond of Quercus, Aesculus and Crataegus among others. http://www.pavia.be

- Jan De Langhe, Belgium : a friend, and a competent taxonomist. He makes for the International Oak Society wonderful pictures of oak leaves, and also of other genera (Acer, Viburnum, etc.);
http://www.oaknames.org/search/leafpic.asp
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/botany/acer-alph.html
http://www.plantentuin.ugent.be/
JDL plant identification keys: http://www.arboretumwespelaar.be/EN/Identification_keys_and_illustrations/

- Francisco Garin, in charge of the amazing Jardin Botanico de Iturraran, Spain near San Sebastian, where you can admire (among many other genera) the best collection of oaks in Europe.

- Michel Pourchet, who gave me so many wonderful pictures.

- Stéphane Rave, France.

- Alexis Rosell Armangol, Barcelona (Spain), specialist in hybrid oaks of Cataluña; I thank him for his friendship, his advice, his help.

- Jean-Claude Cerre, for his wonderful histological pictures of oak wood.

- Jean Merret, whose Arboretum Keracoual, in Brittany, is one of my favorite.

- Cedric Basset, whose nursery's website is very pleasant to look at, and moreover is a good place to buy rare plants found by him in Asia.

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