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#1
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Identification - large acorn
Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we
saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. -- Kay |
#2
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Identification - large acorn
On 2009-10-30 11:33:48 +0000, K said:
Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Was it Kastellorizo, Kay? If so, lucky you but lucky you, anyway! We have a super book on the plants of Crete and I'll have a look in there. But if you think it's specific to one island that might not help. However, given the winds there and the occasional volcano throwing things about, that's probably not likely. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
#3
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Identification - large acorn
Sacha writes
On 2009-10-30 11:33:48 +0000, K said: Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Was it Kastellorizo, Kay? If so, lucky you but lucky you, anyway! We have a super book on the plants of Crete and I'll have a look in there. But if you think it's specific to one island that might not help. However, given the winds there and the occasional volcano throwing things about, that's probably not likely. No, Kalymnos. A limestone island fantastic for climbing, walking, caving and snorkelling. I don't imagine for a minute it's specific to one island, but the Greek islands are so spread around that saying we were a few miles from Turkey (we could see Bodrum) seemed the best way of giving the location. Q calliprenos is also known as the Palestinian or Levantine Oak. I've looked in the Blamey/Grey-Wilson Wildflowers of the Med and not been able to identify it. The leaves are like Q aegilops (Q macrolepis) (Valonia Oak) which occurs on Crete, but the acorns are much larger than the 2-3cm quoted, and the cups have flat rather than recurved scales. -- Kay |
#4
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Identification - large acorn
"K" wrote in message ... Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. -- Kay Hi Kay, Could it be from Quercus macrocarpa, the Burr (or Bur) Oak? Spider |
#5
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Identification - large acorn
On 2009-10-30 11:33:48 +0000, K said:
Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Some years ago one of the compilers, John Fielding, gave us "Flowers of Crete", (ISBN I84246 079 X ) This mentions several oaks, which I'll list but I'm wondering if this one fits your bill. It's Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis and "Its large acorn cups are very distinctive with long spreading scales". Looking at the photo it's described as having 'huge acorns and receptacle' and I'd certainly describe the recptacle as 'shaggy' while the leaves are certainly toothed. They don't think it's native as it was widely cultivated in Europe for tanning. The oaks listed in the index a Quercus brachyphylla, cerris, coccifera, frainetto, ilex, ithaburensis, ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis, pubescens. I hope an image search on these helps to ID the one you saw. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
#6
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Identification - large acorn
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:16:16 +0000, K wrote:
Sacha writes On 2009-10-30 11:33:48 +0000, K said: Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Was it Kastellorizo, Kay? If so, lucky you but lucky you, anyway! We have a super book on the plants of Crete and I'll have a look in there. But if you think it's specific to one island that might not help. However, given the winds there and the occasional volcano throwing things about, that's probably not likely. No, Kalymnos. A limestone island fantastic for climbing, walking, caving and snorkelling. I don't imagine for a minute it's specific to one island, but the Greek islands are so spread around that saying we were a few miles from Turkey (we could see Bodrum) seemed the best way of giving the location. Q calliprenos is also known as the Palestinian or Levantine Oak. I've looked in the Blamey/Grey-Wilson Wildflowers of the Med and not been able to identify it. The leaves are like Q aegilops (Q macrolepis) (Valonia Oak) which occurs on Crete, but the acorns are much larger than the 2-3cm quoted, and the cups have flat rather than recurved scales. I went to Kalymnos when I was younger and did a lot of walking around the forest and getting lost. I remember the unusual oak trees which I think are the sawtooth oak. The leaves match your description. I remember thinking they were so different to the oak trees in England. The small island next to Kalymnos also had lots of unusual trees but I can't remember the name of the island. Steve -- Neural Planner Software Ltd www.NPSL1.com |
#7
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Identification - large acorn
Stephen Wolstenholme writes
I went to Kalymnos when I was younger and did a lot of walking around the forest and getting lost. Are you sure that was Kalymnos? Kalymnos has very few large trees and certainly nothing which could be described as a forest. I remember the unusual oak trees which I think are the sawtooth oak. The leaves match your description. I remember thinking they were so different to the oak trees in England. This was one solitary tree. I haven't seen any others on the island. It was in the Vathy valley, which has a number of mature plane trees. But this tree was a long way from those. Otherwise all the trees in the valley were the various fruit trees, with a few pistacia. The small island next to Kalymnos also had lots of unusual trees but I can't remember the name of the island. Telendos? It has a remnant pine forest, then the usual scrub of pistacia and juniper. -- Kay |
#8
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Identification - large acorn
Spider writes
"K" wrote in message ... Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Could it be from Quercus macrocarpa, the Burr (or Bur) Oak? No - the leaves are more linear, and are toothed rather than lobed. While the acorn size s right, the cup is more massive. -- Kay |
#9
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Identification - large acorn
"K" wrote in message ... Spider writes "K" wrote in message ... Just back from a small Greek island a few miles from Turkey, where we saw a large oak tree, with leathery evergreen leaves about 9cm long and 3 cm wide, with toothed edges. But the most striking thing was the acorns - almost 5cm long, peering out of a thick shaggy cup 5.5cm diameter. Best identification so far is Quercus calliprenos. But I think the scales on the cup of that one are turned out at the tip, whereas the ones on mine are laid flat. Could it be from Quercus macrocarpa, the Burr (or Bur) Oak? No - the leaves are more linear, and are toothed rather than lobed. While the acorn size s right, the cup is more massive. -- Kay The leaves sound a bit like Quercus aesculefolia, but I can't find an image of the acorn. Spider |
#10
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Identification - large acorn
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:56:26 +0000, K wrote:
Stephen Wolstenholme writes I went to Kalymnos when I was younger and did a lot of walking around the forest and getting lost. Are you sure that was Kalymnos? Kalymnos has very few large trees and certainly nothing which could be described as a forest. I remember the unusual oak trees which I think are the sawtooth oak. The leaves match your description. I remember thinking they were so different to the oak trees in England. This was one solitary tree. I haven't seen any others on the island. It was in the Vathy valley, which has a number of mature plane trees. But this tree was a long way from those. Otherwise all the trees in the valley were the various fruit trees, with a few pistacia. I phoned an old friend who was there with me. She thinks the trees were on Patmos. It was about 45 years ago I may be a bit mixed up with the other islands. I'm not so sure that it was Patmos and now I'm not sure about Kalymnos either. There was a valley with a spring which supplied a citrus plantation. I'm being a bit generous with the term "forest" but there were lots of trees. Steve -- Neural Planner Software Ltd www.NPSL1.com |
#11
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Identification - large acorn
Stephen Wolstenholme writes
I phoned an old friend who was there with me. She thinks the trees were on Patmos. It was about 45 years ago I may be a bit mixed up with the other islands. I'm not so sure that it was Patmos and now I'm not sure about Kalymnos either. There was a valley with a spring which supplied a citrus plantation. I'm being a bit generous with the term "forest" but there were lots of trees. Well, that could be Vathy on Kalymnos, if by trees you meant the citruses (over an area of about 5 miles by 1 mile). There is the only all-year stream on the island running through the village at the harbour, under the main square with a well-like opening where you can see huge fish and eels. But there are very few *big* trees - the odd fig and mulberry about the same size as the citruses - the only big trees were a few planes at Platanos, and this oak at the bottom of the 'Italian road' coming over the mountains from the main town. -- Kay |
#12
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Identification - large acorn
Sasha wrote:
Some years ago one of the compilers, John Fielding, gave us "Flowers of Crete", (ISBN I84246 079 X ) This mentions several oaks, which I'll list but I'm wondering if this one fits your bill. It's Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis and "Its large acorn cups are very distinctive with long spreading scales". Looking at the photo it's described as having 'huge acorns and receptacle' and I'd certainly describe the receptacle as 'shaggy' while the leaves are certainly toothed. That's the same species as mentioned in my other post (which crossed with yours) - my scales are flat to the cup, not curved outwards, which is I assume what is meant by spreading. And googling shows a cup with scales sticking outwards. Though it is very close. Unless someone has a better idea, I think Q calliprinos remains the best bet: http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Querc...rinos_page.htm -- Kay |
#13
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Identification - large acorn
Spider writes
The leaves sound a bit like Quercus aesculefolia, but I can't find an image of the acorn. The only reference to that that I can find by Googling is to your post! ;-) -- Kay |
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