Quercus laurifolia

Michaux

Hist. Chênes Amér., no. 10, plate 17. 1801.

Common names: Swamp laurel oak
EndemicIllustrated
Synonyms: Quercus obtusa (Willdenow) Ashe Quercus rhombica Sargent
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Trees, tardily deciduous, to 40 m. Bark dark-brown to black, ridges flat, furrows deep. Twigs redbrown, (1-) 1.5-2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Terminal buds dark redbrown, ovoid to subconic, 2.5-6 mm, distinctly 5-angled in cross-section, glabrous or with tuft of reddish hairs at apex. Leaves: petiole 1.5-5 mm, glabrous. Leaf-blade rhombic or broadly elliptic to obovate, occasionally oblong or spatulate, 30-120 × 15-45 mm, thin, base attenuate or cuneate, rarely obtuse, margins entire with 1 apical awn, apex obtuse or rounded; surfaces abaxially glabrous, adaxially glabrous, veins raised. Acorns biennial; cup shallowly saucer-shaped to deeply bowl-shaped, 3.5-9 mm high × 11-17 mm wide, covering 1/4-1/2 nut, outer surface puberulent, inner surface pubescent at least 1/2 distance to rim, scale tips appressed, acute or attenuate; nut globose or ovoid, 8.5-16 × 10-16 mm, glabrate, scar diam. 6.5-11.5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Sandy flood plains and bottoms, riverbanks, and terraces, occasionally on poorly drained uplands
Elevation: 0-150 m

Distribution

V3 903-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va.

Discussion

Quercus laurifolia apparently flowers two weeks earlier than sympatric Quercus hemisphaerica (W. H. Duncan and M. B. Duncan 1988). It reportedly hybridizes with Q. falcata, Q. incana, and Q. nigra (H. A. Fowells 1965); with Q. hemisphaerica, Q. marilandica, Q. myrtifolia, Q. phellos, and Q. shumardii (D. M. Hunt 1989); and with Q. velutina.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Quercus laurifolia"
rounded +  and obtuse +
Kevin C. Nixon +
Michaux +
furrowed +  and smooth +
dark-brown;black +
obtuse;cuneate;attenuate +
2-6-lobed +
pistillate +, capitate +  and spicate +
Swamp laurel oak +
connate +  and distinct +
starchy +  and fleshy +
tuberculate +
shallowly saucer-shaped +  and deeply bowl-shaped +
×11-17 +, 3.5mm +  and 9mm +
multibracteate +, spiny +  and scaly +
Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tex. +  and Va. +
0-150 m +
pistillate +  and staminate +
biennial +, annual +  and maturation +
1-seeded +  and winged +
in groups +  and enclosed +
Sandy flood plains and bottoms, riverbanks, and terraces, occasionally on poorly drained uplands +
pistillate +, spicate +  and staminate +
silky-tomentose +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
broadly elliptic +  and obovate occasionally oblong or spatulate +
thin;15mm;45mm +
arranged +  and alternate +
toothed +  and entire +
0.85 cm8.5 mm <br />0.0085 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
1/4 +  and 1/2 +
ovoid +  and globose +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Flowering spring. +
Hist. Chênes Amér., no. +
distinct +
few-to-many +
reduced +
attenuate +  and acute +
0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br /> (1.15 cm11.5 mm <br />0.0115 m <br />) +
anastomosing +, branching +  and unbranched +
W1 +, Endemic +  and Illustrated +
inconspicuous +
distinct +
linear-spatulate +
Quercus obtusa +  and Quercus rhombica +
Quercus laurifolia +
Quercus sect. Lobatae +
species +
with tuft +  and glabrous +
5-angled +, ovoid +  and subconic +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
bristle-tipped +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +