Oaks
Quercus
Summary 7
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus (/ˈkwɜːrkəs/; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The genus Quercus is native to the Northern Hemisphere, and includes deciduous and evergreen species extending from cool temperate to tropical latitudes in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and North Africa. North America contains the largest number of oak species, with approximately 90 occurring in the United States, while Mexico has 160 species of which 109 are endemic. The second greatest center of oak diversity is China, which contains approximately 100 species.
Classification 8
The most recent classification of Quercus divides the genus into two subgenera and eight sections. These divisions support the evolutionary diversification of oaks among two distinct clades: the "Old World" clade, including oaks that diversified mainly in Eurasia; and the "New World" clade, for oaks that diversified mainly in the Americas.
Ecology/Wildlife Use 8
Oaks are keystone species in a wide range of habitats from Mediterranean semi-desert to subtropical rainforest. For example, oak trees are important components of hardwood forests, and certain species are particularly known to grow in associations with members of the Ericaceae in oak–heath forests. A number of kinds of truffles, including the two well known varieties, the black Périgord truffle and the white Piedmont truffle, have symbiotic relationships with oak trees. Similarly many other mushrooms such as Ramaria flavosaponaria also associate with oaks. The European pied flycatcher is an example of an animal species that often depends upon oak trees.
Read More 9
Several oak species are native to Tennessee. (See guide) Identification to species can be difficult, but most are large trees, and all are valuable components of wildlife habitat. The following links will lead you to information on specific species.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Bruce Marlin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pin_oak_quercus_palustris.jpg
- anonymous, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quercus_falcata_leaf_bark.jpg
- (c) Eugene Zelenko, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quercus_douglasii-16.jpg
- (c) en:User:Jaknouse, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quercus_alba.jpg
- (c) Sten Porse, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marktr%C3%A6_(Quercus).JPG
- (c) Sherpas 428, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/sherpas428/20753143053/
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus
- Adapted by Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak
- (c) Murfreesboro,TN, Natural Resource Division, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Family | Beech family |
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