Quercus semecarpifolia explained

Quercus semecarpifolia is an Asian species of oak. It is native to the Himalayas and nearby mountains in Tibet, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, where it is referred to as kharsu.[1] It is classified in subgenus Cerris, section Ilex.[2]

Quercus semecarpifolia is an evergreen tree up to 30m (100feet) tall. The leaves are up to 12cm (05inches) long, with a few teeth along the sides but rounded at the tip.[3] It has been grown in middle Europe, Western Germany, winter-hardiness zone 7, withstanding -14 °C, without any damages. It gives a good, showy bush to small tree with lush green leaves.The epithet semecarpifolia refers to a resemblance between the leaves of this species and those of Semecarpus anacardium.[3]

In its native range, it serves as a keystone species, exhibiting up to 80% dominance at elevations between 2700 and 3300 meters. In areas where less degradation has occurred, Q. semecarpifolia reduces light at the forest floor, encouraging the growth of shade tolerant herbaceous species. Local people make use of kharsu more frequently than other native oaks for food, animal fodder, fuel, and timber.[4] Its leaves are also known to support Antheraea proylei silk worms, goats,[5] and prevent slug infestations.

Fossil record

Fossils of Quercus semecarpifolia have been described from the fossil flora of Kızılcahamam district in Turkey, which is of early Pliocene age.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Rawat . Balwant . Rawat . Janhvi M. . Purohit . Sumit . Singh . Gajendra . Sharma . Pradeep Kumar . Chandra . Anup . Shabaaz Begum . J. P. . Venugopal . Divya . Jaremko . Mariusz . Qureshi . Kamal A. . 2022 . A comprehensive review of Quercus semecarpifolia Sm.: An ecologically and commercially important Himalayan tree . Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution . 10 . 10.3389/fevo.2022.961345 . 2296-701X . free . 10754/681751 . free .
  2. Denk . Thomas . Grimm . Guido W. . Manos . Paul S. . Deng . Min . Hipp . Andrew L. . 2017 . Appendix 2.1: An updated infrageneric classification of the oaks . figshare . 10.6084/m9.figshare.5547622.v1 . 2023-02-18 . xls . amp .
  3. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/119403#page/259/mode/1up Smith, James Edward in Rees. 1814 The cyclopædia; or, Universal dictionary of arts, sciences, and literature. volume 29, pages not numbered, Quercus number 20
  4. Singh . Amit . Samant . S. S. . Naithani . Suneet . 2021-09-01 . Population ecology and habitat suitability modelling of Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. in the sub-alpine ecosystem of Great Himalayan National Park, north-western Himalaya, India . South African Journal of Botany . en . 141 . 158–170 . 10.1016/j.sajb.2021.04.022 . 0254-6299. free .
  5. Raju . J. . Sahoo . B. . Chandrakar . A. . Sankar . M. . Garg . A. K. . Sharma . A. K. . Pandey . A. B. . 2015-04-01 . Effect of feeding oak leaves (Quercus semecarpifolia vs Quercus leucotricophora) on nutrient utilization, growth performance and gastrointestinal nematodes of goats in temperate sub Himalayas . Small Ruminant Research . en . 125 . 1–9 . 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2014.12.013 . 0921-4488. free .
  6. Kasaplıgil . Baki . Ankara, Kızılcahamam yakınındaki Güvem köyü civarında bulunan son tersiyer kozalaklı-yeşil yapraklı ormanı . Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration . 1977 . 88 . 94-102 . . Ankara . tr, en . PDF . A Late-Tertiary Conifer-Hardwood Forest From the Vicinity of Güvem Village, Near Kızılcahamam, Ankara.

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