Trees or shrubs, evergreen. Terminal buds present, ovate, all scales imbricate. Leaves: stipules prominent on new growth, persistent around buds. Leaf blade leathery, margins entire or obscurely toothed to serrate, secondary veins unbranched, ± parallel, extending to margin. Inflorescences staminate and androgynous, axillary, often appearing terminal and branched by reduction of leaves, spicate, erect or ascending, rigid or flexible; androgynous inflorescences with pistillate cupules/flowers toward base and staminate flowers distally. Staminate flowers: sepals distinct; stamens 12(-18 or more) typically surrounding indurated pistillode covered with silky hairs. Pistillate flower 1 per cupule; sepals distinct; carpels and styles 3. Fruits: maturation in 2d year following pollination; cupule cup-shaped, without any indication of valves, covering proximal portion of nut, scaly, spines absent, scales strongly reflexed, hooked at tip; nut 1 per cupule, round in cross section, not winged. x = 12.

Distribution

North America, e Asia.

Discussion

Species 100-200 (1 in the flora).

Although fruit of Lithocarpus closely resembles that of Quercus, the two genera differ in characters of the inflorescence, flowers, and pollen. These characters indicate that Lithocarpus is more closely related to Castanea, Chrysolepis, and other Asian genera of subfamily Castaneoideae than to Quercus, and the similarity in fruit is because of convergence.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Lithocarpus densiflorus