Quercus faginea Lam.
Eng.: Hesperian oak (given the distribución of this oak, the portuguese oak o valencian oak names are not recommended). Spa.: Quejigo común. Fre.: Chêne faginé. Ara.: Ballut ez-zane, zehn. Tam.: Techt, tachta, tist, tazent, azzen, ezzen, alba.
Marcescent tree, monoecious, up to 20-30 m in height, with ovate-elongated or rounded crown. Trunk ± straight, up to 2 m in diameter, with brown-grey bark, with longitudinal fissures when old. Branches extended-erect. Branchlets densely covered with stellate hairs during the first year and ± glabrescent later. Leaves highly variable in size and hairiness, (2)3-11(15) × 1.2-6 (9) cm, alternate, slightly coriaceous, form oblong to obovate, with crenate margin, ± undulate, sinuate-dentate or lobulate. Young leaves covered with stellate hairs on both sides, turning green and glabrescent on the upper side and pale green with a whitish tomentum of stellate hairs on the underside. Petiole tomentose or glabrescent (5-20 mm). Male flowers in yellow catkins, pendant (2-7.5 cm). Female flowers generally grouped into short spikes (2-4 cm). Fruit (the acorn) an ovoid achene (1.5-3.5 × 1.2 cm), with chestnut-yellowish nut and cupule covered with ovate-triangular scales, imbricated, ± tomentose and applied, lower scales slightly gibbous.
Flowering:
March to May.
Fruiting:
September to October.
Habitat:
Grows on all types of terrain, in subhumid to hyperhumid bioclimatic zones, on upper thermomediterranean to supramediterranean floors. From near the sea level to 2,000 m.
Distribution:
Iberian Peninsula and NW Africa (N of Morocco and Algeria).
Observations:
Extremely polymorphic species, from which many taxa have been described, at times with some confusion, both at a specific and infraspecific level. Based on the most recent information (Zine el Abidine & Fennane, 1995; Fennane et al., 1999; Le Floc´h et al., 2010, Galán de Mera et al., 2011), we could conclude that Q. faginea subsp. faginea does not occur or is very rare in the territory (according to Fennane et al., 1999, it is restricted to the Middle Atlas and the northern Atlantic area of Morocco). Q. faginea subsp. tlemcenensis is recognised especially by the authors who have worked with North African material. Due to the similarities and to simplify this group we include Q. faginea subsp. broteroi in the latter. There is a further species, usually with smaller leaves and trichomes which we broadly assign to Q. faginea subsp. alpestris. Even though this proposed solution is very simple, we hope it will be useful; those interested in the problematic taxonomy of oaks should consult the reviewed literature.
Q. faginea subsp. tlemcenensis (A.DC.) Maire & Weiller ex Greuter & Burdet: tree up to 20-25 m in height, with leaves slightly coriaceous, with teeth generally obtuse and veins ± regular and parallel, with tertiary venation inconspicuous; upper side of the leaves with tomentum greenish-white, dense and long, composed of stellate hairs with radii of 150-250 nm. Distributed in the SW Iberian Peninsula, Algeria and Morocco. In the territory of this guide, it is known in the Rif, Middle Atlas and Tellian Atlas (mountains of Tlemcen, Tazekka, Hodna, Aures and with isolated stands on other mountains).
Q. faginea subsp. alpestris (Boiss.) Maire (Q. alpestris Boiss.): tree frequently described with a size 9-15 m in height; however, this size is exceeded in certain places such as Jebel Tazaot, where saplings of 20- 25 m in height grow between fir trees. It differs mainly from the latter subspecies in having more coriaceous leaves, with ± sharp teeth and irregular veins, not parallel, with very marked tertiary venation on the upper side; underside of the leaves with a shorter tomentum (stellate hairs radii of 100-150 nm). Its distribution is restricted to S Iberian Peninsula, Algeria and Morocco in mountains close to Xaüen (mountains of Kelti, Tazaot, Lakraa, etc.) with some more disjunct populations in the Middle Atlas and the Algerian Kabylia.
Many species of this genus —especially Q. faginea, Q. canariensis and Q. pyrenaica— display plant galls in their branches; these galls are structures with a hard, almost woody exterior, that look like the fruits of the tree. There are several types, even on the same tree, and are produced by insects (mainly Hymenoptera and Hemiptera) and to a lesser extent by other invertebrates. These structures are developed when the eggs laid by the insect hatch; the tree tries to protect itself by surrounding its new guests with successive layers of plant tissue. The larvae receives protection and food from this covering. Many invertebrates use the already formed galls, sometimes parasitasing the larvae that produced the gall. Up to 75 larvae of different insect species have been counted in a single gall, produced by the Andricus quercustozae wasp.
Conservation status:
Common and widely distributed species, not considered threatened. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Legend:
Quercus faginea subsp. tlemcenensis Quercus faginea subsp. alpestris