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By Bartosz Reichel | December 11, 2024

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Quercus aucheri (Aucher’s oak, Boz pirnal oak) is found primarily in Turkey and in some Greek islands in the Aegean. It is known locally as Boz pırnal meşesi, which means "gray holm oak" (Pırnal meşesi is the local name for Q. ilex) (Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi 2013). It is often compared to Q. coccifera (kermes oak, Kermes meşesi), but its local name suggests a closer resemblance to Q. ilex (holm oak). However, in my opinion, both its leaves and acorn cups bear a much stronger resemblance to Q. rotundifiolia, the species closely related to Q. ilex and found in Spain and Portugal (one might say that the local name, "gray holm oak", would be appropriate for Q. rotundifolia, which used to be considered a form of Q. ilex).The comparison with Q. coccifera may stem from their shared habitat in some areas and their frequent bushy growth form.

Figure 1: Foliage — _{Figure 1. Highly variable foliage of Quercus aucheri}

Fgiure 2, Scan of foliage — _{Figure 2.Quercus aucheri foliage, mainly with rounded leaves}

Molecular analyses (Aykut et al. 2020) indicate Q. aucheri is closer to Q. ilex, while morphological comparisons (Aykut 2017) show closer affinity with Q. coccifera. On the other hand, an analysis by Hipp et al. (2020) found that Q. aucheri groups with Q. coccifera rather than Q. ilex. My own observations of morphological traits suggest a closer resemblance to Q. rotundifolia.

The leaves of Q. aucheri are highly variable. Evergreen, they range in size from 4 × 2(3) cm to very small, 1 × 0.5 cm. Their edges may be entire or toothed. Observed specimens showed both traits on weaker, shaded shoots, as well as on shoots bearing fruit. The upper side of the leaves varies from steel-gray to dark blue-green, while the underside is hairy and light gray. The short petioles also resemble those of Q. rotundifolia, rather than Q. coccifera, whose leaves differ in color, shape, and also cups (which bear spiny scales in the case of Q. coccifera). The similarity to Q. coccifera is that the seeds mature in the second year, whereas acorns on Q. rotundifolia ripen in the first year. Quercus aucheri acorns are pubescent, which definitely distinguishes it from Q. coccifera. In some specimens, it is so strong that the acorns appear white. Germination occurs from the base, which distinguishes it from the other species mentioned above.

Figure 3: foliage on fruiting shoots (first location) — _{Figure 3. Foliage on a fruiting shoot (at first site)}

_{Figure 4. A Quercus aucheri acorn germinating from the base}

I show here photos of plants from two sites: the first near Çamyuva, to the south, and the second near Beldibi, Kemer (areas outside/behind the city and along the coast).

Site one

The first site (up to about 100 meters above sea level) is on hills by the sea, which gently rise to heights of several hundred meters (with higher ranges further inland).

_{Figure 5. Map showing location of first site (red triangle) south of Çamyuva in southwestern Turkey}

Here, Q. aucheri occurs in large numbers, coexisting with Pinus brutia (Turkish red pine, a dominant tall tree) and other plants such as hard-leaved Phillyrea sp., Olea sp., Rhamnaceae, and other plants.

Figure 6. View from Site 1 — _{Figure 6. View from first site}

The soil is volcanic and rocky, with sparse undergrowth (where the undergrowth is denser and grassier, oaks are either absent or present in low numbers).

Figure 5. View of soi; — _{Figure 7. The rocky, volcanic soil at the first site, perhaps dug up by animals}

In this area, oaks grow both in shrub form and as trees reaching 4–6 m in height. Some individual Q. coccifera can also be found.

Figure 8. Few shrubs of Quercus coccifera — _{Figure 8: Some Quercus coccifera shrubs; it is worth noting the undersides of the leaves, which in these sunny locations is very pubescent, almost white.}

Figure 9. View of typical places with high count of Q. aucheri — _{Figure 9. View of typical places with high count of Quercus aucheri (first site); in the left upper corner, the visible peak of Tahtalı Dağı, 2,366 m}

Figure 10. Typical appearance of Q. aucheri, from shrubby forms to small trees, also on the cliffside — _{Figure 10. Typical appearance of Quercus aucheri, from shrubby forms to small trees, also on the cliffside}

Site two

The second Q. aucheri location is further inland, up to about 200 m elevation.

Figure 11: second location of Q. aucheri near Beldibi, Kemer (areas outside/behind the city and along the coast). — _{Figure 11. Second Quercus aucheri location near Beldibi, district of Kemer (sites outside/behind the city and along the coast)}

This area is dominated by Q. coccifera and Q. infectoria (Mazı meşesi). The accompanying vegetation includes pine (Pinus sp.), olive bushes (Olea sp.), and other shrubs. The soil here is rockier. Also here Pinus brutia dominates as a tall tree up to 200–300 m, then above that Cupressus sempervirens also dominates.

Figure 12. View of typical landscape at the secon location — _{Figure 12. View of the typical landscape at the second location}

Quercus aucheri is found as isolated specimens, all of them at lower elevations and usually not in full sun, more frequently occurring closer to the sea, especially on rocky cliffs (here with full sun exposition).

Figure 13: Quercus aucheri, above individual tree in a shade environment below in full sun on a slope — _{Figure 13. Quercus aucheri: (above) an individual tree in a shady environment; (below) in full sun on a slope}

Quercus coccifera occurs from the lowlands to high mountain regions, with shrubs visible above 400 m. It grows both in shaded locations (such as ravines) and on exposed rocks, with climatic differences reflected in the thickness and size of the leaves.

_{Figure 15. Quercus coccifera with an Ephedra sp. climbing on it, reaching a height of over 3 m}

Quercus infectoria occurs in similar locations as Q. coccifera. In lower regions, it is more often found as tree-like specimens reaching several meters in height, while in higher regions it occurs as small shrubs, typically 1–2 meters tall. The leaves range from green to glaucous, with a variability similar to that found in Q. robur found in Poland (my home country), both in terms of color and shape.

Figure 16. Quercus infectoria — _{Figure 16: Quercus infectoria}

Quercus aucheri clearly prefers sunny, exposed habitats, where it dominates in the absence of competition from other plants. It is listed as Least Concern in the Red List of Oaks (Carrero et al. 2020), but should be closely monitored. Given its limited inland spread, coastal towns and development may pose a threat to this species. Similarly, deforestation and clearing for infrastructure, such as for power lines, are potential risks.

Figure 17. View from second site — _{Figure 17. View from the higher elevation site at the second location}

The two oak species from section Ilex found here (Q. aucheri and Q. coccifera) are well established. Despite their proximity, no intermediate traits have been observed. Blooming times may differ due to the fact that many of the Q. coccifera plants are at higher elevation in the mountainous terrain..

Here also are some photos of Q. rotundifolia for comparison: different leaf forms, growing in Europe, and acorns, growing at the Botanical Garden of Puebla University in Mexico.

Figure 18: growing in Europe — _{Figure 18. Quercus rotundifolia}

Quercus rotundfiolia acorn JBUAP — _{Figure 19. Quercus rotundifolia acorns, Jardín Botánico Universitario, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico © Allen Coombes}

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Roderick Cameron for his invaluable assistance in improving and refining this text. I deeply appreciate his support and contribution.

Works cited

Aykut, Y. 2020. The importance in DNA barcoding of the regions which is covering rRNA genes and its sequences in the genus Quercus L. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy 27(2): 261–271 [link]

Aykut, Y., E. Uslu, and B.M. Tekin. 2017. Morphological variability of evergreen oaks (Quercus) in Turkey”. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy 24(1): 39–47 [link]

Carrero, C., D. Jerome, E. Beckman, A. Byrne, A.J. Coombes, M. Deng, A. González Rodríguez, H.V. Sam, E. Khoo, N. Nguyen, I. Robiansyah, H. Rodríguez Correa, J. Sang, Y.-G. Song, J. Strijk, J. Sugau, W. Sun, S. Valencia Ávalos, and M. Westwood. 2020. The Red List of Oaks 2020. Lisle, Illinois: The Morton Arboretum [link]

Hipp, A.L., P.S. Manos, M. Hahn, M. Avishai, C. Bodénès, J. Cavender-Bares, A. Crowl, M. Deng, T. Denk, S. Fitz-Gibbon, O. Gailing, M.S. González-Elizondo, A. González-Rodríguez, G.W. Grimm, X.-L. Jiang, A. Kremer, I. Lesur, J.D. McVay, C. Plomion, H. Rodríguez-Correa, E.-D. Schulze, M.C. Simeone, V.L. Sork, and S. Valencia-Avalos. 2019. Genomic landscape of the global oak phylogeny. New Phytologist. [link]

Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi. 2013. Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi. 2013 [link]

Tags:

Oaks of Turkey

section Ilex oaks

oak taxonomy

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