cork oak

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Quercus suberosa
• Quercus suber f. racemosa
• Quercus suber var. serotina
• Quercus suber f. subcrinita
• Quercus suber var. occidentalis
• Quercus suber subsp. occidentalis
• Quercus suber subf. clavata
• Quercus suber f. longicalyx
• Quercus suber f. dolichocarpa
• Quercus suber f. biennalis
• Quercus occidentalis
• Quercus mitis
• Quercus cintrana
• Quercus corticosa
• Quercus suber var. angustifolia
• Quercus suber var. brevicalyx
• Quercus suber f. brevicupulata
• Quercus suber var. brevisquama
• Quercus suber f. brevisquama
• Quercus suber f. caduca
• Quercus suber var. calyciformis
• Quercus suber var. clavata
• Quercus suber f. clavata
• Quercus suber var. crinita
• Quercus suber var. dolichocarpa
• Quercus suber var. dulcis
• Quercus suber f. dulcis
• Quercus suber var. edulis
• Quercus suber var. fagifolia
• Quercus suber subvar. grandifolia
• Quercus suber var. integrifolia
• Quercus suber var. latifolia
• Quercus suber var. longicalyx
• Quercus suber var. macrocarpa
• Quercus suber f. macrocarpa
• Quercus suber var. macrophylla
• Quercus suber f. microcarpa
• Quercus suber var. microphylla
• Quercus suber f. microphylla
• Quercus suber f. oleifolia
• Quercus suber subvar. parvifolia
• Quercus suber f. pendula
• Quercus suber var. racemosa
• Quercus suber var. subcrinita
• Quercus suber f. subintegrifolia
• Quercus suber var. subocculata
• Quercus suber f. subocculata
• Quercus subera

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Fagales and the family Fagaceae, it is classified under the genus Quercus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Quercus suber, is primarily distributed across the Mediterranean region of Southwestern Europe. Its habitat includes the island of Corsica, which provides an ideal climate for its growth. The species is also widely found throughout the coastal and inland areas of France. Additionally, it is a prominent feature of the landscapes in Portugal. Finally, its geographical range extends to the islands of the Balearic Islands and Sardegna.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Quercus suber is characterized by its specific environmental requirements and its spatial distribution within its growing regions. This species has been introduced from Portugal into new territories, where it adapts to specific localized conditions. Its presence is typically observed within a specific altitudinal gradient, maintaining an average elevational range of 407 m AMSL. This positioning within the landscape influences its interaction with local microclimates, soil compositions, and available moisture levels, which are critical for its physiological development and long-term survival in its established habitats.

Elevational range mean:

407 m AMSL

Habitat :

Introduced from Portugal

Life history

The life history of Quercus suber is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the individual to persist through many growing seasons and reach significant maturity over decades or even centuries. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody branches, a structural adaptation that enables it to dominate its ecological niche and withstand environmental stressors. This long-lived growth strategy involves a slow initial development phase followed by a prolonged period of stability, during which it maintains a robust woody architecture capable of supporting extensive canopy development.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Quercus suber is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically classified as a tree. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, nor does it function as an epiphyte or a climber, remaining entirely self-supporting rather than acting as a liana or vine. The plant grows as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic lifestyle. Structurally, it develops a robust, woody stem and reaches a maximum plant height of approximately 20 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Quercus suber is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's foliage exhibits a distinct morphological structure, featuring oblong leaf forms that vary significantly in size. Specifically, the leaf dimensions range from a minimum length of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, while the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 1.2 cm and a maximum of 6.5 cm. These structural variations are closely linked to the plant's resource allocation strategies, as evidenced by a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 53.38 cm²/g, reflecting the relationship between leaf mass and surface area in its leaf-level physiological performance.

Leaf form :

oblong

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

6.5 cm

Leaf width min:

1.2 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

53.38 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Quercus suber is characterized by a specific phenological cycle and specialized morphological structures. The flowering process typically begins in April and concludes in May, utilizing catkin inflorescences that reach a maximum length of 0.04 meters. Following pollination, the plant produces dry fruits containing seeds that exhibit significant variation in mass; the seed mass ranges from a minimum of 1.196 g to a maximum of 6.0478 g, with a calculated mean mass of approximately 3.50436875 g. The dispersal of these seeds is governed by a zoochorous syndrome, meaning they rely on animals for distribution throughout their habitat.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

May

Fruit dryness :

dry

Inflorescence :

catkin

Inflorescence length max:

0.04 m

Seed mass max:

6.0478 g

Seed mass mean:

3.50436875 g

Seed mass min:

1.196 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Quercus suber has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ash, Betulin, Fatty acids, Friedelin, LIGNIN.

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

Fatty acids

1. Dr. Duke

Friedelin

1. Dr. Duke

LIGNIN

1. Dr. Duke

Phellogenic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Phellonic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Phloionic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Phloionolic acid

1. Dr. Duke

TDZD-8

1. Journal of experimental botany

Activities

Quercus suber has 74 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Allelochemic, Allergenic, Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antianemic.

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antianemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Anticariogenic

1. Dr. Duke

Anticoronary

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Quercus suber has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Escherichia coli.

Most Reported Uses