Sessile Oak
Scientific name: Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.
Diagnostic features
Tree to 42m, of less spreading habit and with a taller, straighter trunk than Quercus robur.
Leaves deciduous, usually more or less elliptic, cuneate to cordate with no or weak auricles at base, lobed more or less as in Quercus robur but usually with 5-8 pairs of less deep lobes, with frequent simple and some stellate hairs on lowerside.
Petiole 13-25mm.
Peduncle 0-2(4)cm.
Cupule with small appressed scales.
Chromosome number: 2n=24.
Habitat
Native.
Distribution
Almost throughout Britain and Ireland and often abundant and forming dense woodland, epecially on shallow, sandy, acid soils and in North & West, often over 300m altitude, but absent or only introduced in some areas.
This species is keyed out on Page 1702 in the Text Key.
Hybrids
- Quercus x rosacea Bechst. (= Quercus petraea x Quercus robur) occurs throughout British Isles in areas where 1 or both parents occur, occasionally being commoner than either. It combines in various ways the leaf and fruit characters of the 2 species, and is fertile. |
