Quercus pubescens
Specifications
Family
Fagaceae
Species
Quercus pubescens Willd.
downy oak
pubescent oak
Description
Almost identical to that of the English oak: the sapwood is yellowish and the heartwood brown, the medullary rays are very evident, both in cross-section and radially. The texture is coarse and the grain straight.
Plant morphology
It reaches an average height of 12-15 m, but can reach up to 25 m. It has a twisted trunk with large branches that form a broad crown in isolated specimens. The bark has deep furrows and very hard, wrinkled plates that protect it from raking fires. The leaves are alternate and simple, elongated-ovate, obtuse at the apex, ranging from slightly cuneate to rounded at the base, leathery, and initially densely pubescent. The acorns, ripe in October, are small (2-3 cm), borne on a short, pubescent stalk.
Natural occurrence
Countries of origin and distribution
Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor: the Alps, central France, southern Belgium, the Atlantic coasts of northeastern Spain, Bohemia, Slovakia, Austria, the Balkan Peninsula, the Western Carpathians, the western coasts of the Black Sea, Crimea, Anatolia, and the large Mediterranean islands. In Italy, it is widespread throughout the country.
Habitat and ecology
It is a very frugal, heliophilous, thermophilous, and xerophilous species, and is very resistant to low temperatures. In Italy, it grows at altitudes between 200 and 800 (1,200) m, mainly on south-facing slopes, especially on well-drained calcareous and rocky soils, in association with flowering ash and hop hornbeam, and sometimes also with black pine. In central and southern Italy, it behaves as a sub-Mediterranean species.
Uses
Use class
CU1
CU2
CU3
CU4
CU5
Application areas
It is generally heavy and is used for marine and shipbuilding, for railway sleepers and in the production of charcoal.
Threats and Conservation
Threats
In Eastern Europe, the main threat is the expansion of agricultural and urban areas at the expense of forested areas. It is also threatened by climate change, as rising temperatures affect both the stability of adult individuals and the survival of juveniles. The consequence is a reduction in the reproductive potential and stability of wild populations.
Conservation measures
The downy oak is preserved in more than 80 ex situ collections around the world (BGCI 2018).
IUCN Red List
IUCN
LC - Least Concern - Low Risk
CITES. Year of assessment
CITES
2017
1975
2050
CITES Italia • Ultimo aggiornamento
2017
Not present.
Technical data
Aesthetic characteristics
Grain
Obvious
Texture
Coarse
Physical and mechanical properties
Density
ρ
ρ
820
kg/m3
Radial shrinkage
Rad. sh.
Rad. sh.
44
MPa
Tangential shrinkage
Tang. sh.
Tang. sh.
83
MPa
Bending strength
M.O.R.
M.O.R.
110
MPa
Modulus of Elasticity
M.O.E.
M.O.E.
12800
MPa
Durability characteristics
Fungal resistance
Durable
Insect resistance
Not resistant