Quercus spinosa David

China; Myanmar; Taiwan; 1000-3100 m; introduced in Europe by Wilson (under the name Q.gilliana );

4-10 metres tall (may reach 20 m);

2.5-4 x 1.5-2,5 cm; lasting 2 years; leathery; oboval to subelliptic, sometimes almost orbicular; apex obtuse (sometimes pointed in Taiwan, see below); base subcordate; epidermis bullate; margins toothed (3-12 pairs of sharp teeth) or sometimes entire; dark green, glabrous above; glabrous beneath except on base of midrib which is densely hairy (simple and fascicled hairs) ; 4-8 vein pairs, sunken above; petiole 1-3 mm long, glabrescent;

May to August; pistillate inflorescences 1-3 cm long;

acorn 1-1.5 cm long, 1 cm wide; ovoid globose; enclosed 1/3 by cup; cup with triangular, 1-1.5 mm long, grey pubescent (except near apex) scales ; maturing in 2 years;

hardy; mountain forests;

– A.Camus : tome 1, p. 405, n° 97; – Sub-genus Cerris, Section Ilex; – For Govaerts & Frodin, 1998, Q. gilliana is a true species, whose leaves lack dense hairs at base of midrib beneath ; Tibet and in China (Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu). – See the Key of Asian similar Quercus .