Quercus alnifolia, the golden oak, is an evergreen oak

Oak

An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...

 species of Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

. Its common English name refers to the golden coloured lower surface of its leaves. Quercus alnifolia belongs to the endemic flora of the island and it is confined to the igneous geological complex of the Troodos Mountains

Troodos Mountains

Troodos is the biggest mountain range of Cyprus, located in the center of the island. Troodos' highest peak is Mount Olympus at 1,952 metres.The Troodos mountain range stretches across most of the western side of Cyprus...

. In February 2006, the parliament of Cyprus selected the golden oak to be the country's national tree .

Taxonomical status

Quercus alnifolia belongs to section Cerris, as with much of the mediterranean evergreen oak species. Occasional hybridization with kermes oak

Kermes Oak

Quercus coccifera, the Kermes Oak, is an oak in the Turkey oak section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is native to the western Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, from Morocco and Portugal east to Libya and Greece.-Description:...

 (Quercus coccifera ssp. calliprinos) has been described .

Morphological description

Golden oak is a much branched evergreen

Evergreen

In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...

 shrub of small tree up to 10 m high. Due to its short stature (with relation to other oaks) it is sometimes referred to as the dwarf oak.

Its leaves are simple, ovobate to suborbicular, 1,5-6(-10) cm long, 1-5 (-8) cm wide, glabrous and shining dark green above and densely golden or brownish tomentose

Tomentose

Tomentose is a term used to describe plant hairs that are flattened and matted, forming a woolly coating known as tomentum. Often the hairs are silver or gray-colored...

 below, with serrate margins and raised nervation. Leave petiole

Petiole (botany)

In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...

s are strong, 6-10 (-12) mm long and pilose. Flowers are unisexual; male catkins are greenish-yellow forming spreading or pendulous clusters at the tips of the branches; female are axillary

Axillary

Axillary means "related to the axilla "."Axillary" may refer to:* Axillary artery* Axillary vein* Axillary nerve* Axillary bud...

, solitary or in groups of 2-3. Acorns are narrowly obovate or subcylindrical, usually tapering towards base, 2-2,5 cm long and 0,8-1,2 cm wide, with a woody endocarp and cupule with strongly recurved scales .

Distribution and habitat

Quercus alnifolia is restricted to Troodos Massif, where it grows on igneous geological substrate at an altitude of 400 to 1800m . It occupies dry habitats in association with Pinus brutia or forms dense maquis in mesic habitats, characterized by deep forest soils .

Ecological importance and conservation status

Golden oak offers soil stabilisation against erosion due to its ability to colonize stony and rocky slopes. In its distribution area, Quercus alnifolia is the most important broadleaved species forming forest stands, while the major part of Cypriot forests are covered by conifers (Pinus brutia). Thick stands of Quercus alnifolia in mesic habitats, considerably modify the humidity conditions of the site and form forest soils with "mull" humus favouring the existence of sciophilous herbal species.

Golden oak is protected by the forest law of Cyprus, while the habitat type "Scrub and low forest vegetation of Quercus alnifolia (9310)" is a priority habitat of Europe (directive 92/43/EEC)
. Large forest expanses of the species have been proposed for inclusion in the Natura 2000

Natura 2000

Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...

ecological network of the European Union.