Quercus acerifolia

(E. J. Palmer) Stoynoff & W. J. Hess ex R. J. Jensen

Fl. N. Amer. 3: 465. 1997.

Common names: Maple-leaf oak
Conservation concernEndemicIllustrated
Basionym: Quercus shumardii var. acerifolia E. J. Palmer J. Arnold Arbor. 8: 54. 1927
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Trees or shrubs, deciduous, to 15 m. Bark dark gray to almost black, sometimes becoming rough and furrowed. Twigs grayish brown to reddish brown, 1.5-3(-3.5) mm diam., glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Terminal buds gray to grayish brown, ovoid or broadly ellipsoid, 3.5-5.5 mm, glabrous. Leaves: petiole 20-45 mm, glabrous. Leaf blade oblate to broadly elliptic, 70-140 × (60-)100-150(-180) mm, base cordate-truncate to obtuse, margins with 5-7(-9) lobes and 11-48 awns, lobes ovate-oblong or markedly distally expanded, the middle or apical pairs often overlapping, apex acute; surfaces abaxially glabrous or with prominent axillary tufts of tomentum, occasionally with scattered pubescence, adaxially glabrous, secondary veins raised on both surfaces. Acorns biennial; cup saucer- to cup-shaped, 4-7 mm high × 10-20 mm wide, covering 1/4-1/3 nut, outer surface glabrous or puberulent, inner surface light brown to red-brown, glabrous or with ring of pubescence around scar, scales often with pale margins, tips tightly appressed, obtuse or acute; nut ovoid to oblong, 10.5-20 × 9-15 mm, glabrous or pubescent, scar diam. 5-9 mm.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Dry glades, slopes, and ridge tops
Elevation: 500-800 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Quercus acerifolia is known only from four localities in Arkansas: Magazine Mountain, Logan County; Porter Mountain, Polk County; Pryor Mountain, Montgomery County; and Sugarloaf Mountain, Sebastian County (N. Stoynoff and W. J. Hess 1990; G. P. Johnson 1992, 1994). Some specimens suggest hybridization with Q. marilandica and/or Q. velutina, but no hybrids have been reported.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Quercus acerifolia"
Richard J. Jensen +
(E. J. Palmer) Stoynoff & W. J. Hess ex R. J. Jensen +
Quercus shumardii var. acerifolia +
Maple-leaf oak +
500-800 m +
Dry glades, slopes, and ridge tops +
Flowering spring. +
Fl. N. Amer. +
Conservation concern +, Endemic +  and Illustrated +
Quercus acerifolia +
Quercus sect. Lobatae +
species +