Quercus rex Hemsl.

Myanmar; Laos; S China (SW Yunnan); NE India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh ) ; Vietnam ; 1100-1800 m;

may reach 50 m; diameter of the trunk to 3 m.

12-27 cm x 4-9 cm; somewhat crowded at the end of the twigs; coriaceous; obovate to obovate-oblanceolate; apex acute to shortly acuminate; base cuneate; margin minutely serrate towards apical half; densely tawny tomentose when young; mature leaves shiny green and hairless above, hairless and glaucous beneath from more or less abundant waxy coat; 12-22 vein pairs, impressed or flat above, such as the midvein, raised below, at an angle of 45° with midrib; tertiary veins evident below; epidermis papillary beneath, hiding the stomata; petiole 2-3 cm long, thick, hairy;

April-May; male catkins in clusters of 3, thin, drooping; male flowers with perianth 5-lobed, 6 stamens with hairy anthers; female flowers 6-8 styles;

very large acorn 3.5-5 cm in diameter, subglobose, depressed at apex, pale brown; enclosed 1/2 or 1/3 by cup; cup sessil, flat, 1.5-1.8 cm hight, 3.5-6 cm in diameter, wall 4 mm thick, tomentose, with 7-8 concentric rings marginally entire or sinuate; basal scar 2-2.5 cm in diameter, impressed; stylopodium often deciduous; maturing in 1 year in October-November;

not hardy; dense wet tropical forests in valleys;

– A. Camus : tome1, p. 316, n° 60; – Sub-genus Cerris, Section Cyclobalanopsis; – Section Helferiana, sub-section Helferianae ( Menitsky ); – Endangered in China; – Flora of China n° 24;