Quercus germana, the Mexican royal oak, is a species of oak tree in the family Fagaceae. It is native to mountain cloud forests in eastern Mexico.[1] It is placed in section Quercus.[3]

Quercus germana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Quercus
Section: Quercus sect. Quercus
Species:
Q. germana
Binomial name
Quercus germana
Schltdl. & Cham.[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Quercus galeottii M.Martens
  • Quercus substenocarpa Trel.

Description edit

Quercus germana is a small to medium-sized tree, and can reach 12 metres (39 ft) in height.[1]

As with other white oaks (subgenus Quercus, section Quercus) its acorns mature in a single season.

Habitat and range edit

Quercus germana is endemic to eastern and northeastern Mexico, in Sierra Madre Oriental of (north to south) Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla states, and the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca of Puebla, Veracruz, and Oaxaca states.[1]

It typically grows in cloud forests and less frequently in humid oak forests, at elevations of 800–1,800 metres (2,600–5,900 ft). It is generally sparse throughout its range. It is often associated with the trees Quercus lancifolia, Quercus pinnativenulosa, Platanus sp., and Alnus sp.[1]

The species has an area of occupancy (AOO) of 500 km2. The species has been under-sampled so the AOO is likely an under-estimate, but not likely to exceed 2,375 km2.

Conservation edit

It is an IUCN Red List least concern species, threatened by habitat loss.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Jerome, D. (2018). "Quercus germana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T32763A2822915. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T32763A2822915.en. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b Quercus germana Schltdl. & Cham.. Plants of the World Online, Kew Science. Accessed 13 August 2022.
  3. ^ Denk, Thomas; Grimm, Guido W.; Manos, Paul S.; Deng, Min & Hipp, Andrew L. (2017). "Appendix 2.1: An updated infrageneric classification of the oaks" (xls). figshare. Retrieved 2023-02-18.

External links edit

  Media related to Quercus germana at Wikimedia Commons