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Pyrenean oak
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fagales
Family:	Fagaceae
Genus:	Quercus
Subgenus:	Quercus subg. Quercus
Section:	Quercus sect. Quercus
Species:	Q. pyrenaica
Binomial name
	Quercus pyrenaica; Willd.
	Distribution map
Synonyms
	List Quercus aurin Bosc ; Quercus brossa Bosc ; Quercus camata Petz. & G.Kirchn. ; Quercus castellana Bosc ex Pers. ; Quercus cenomanensis Desf. ex Endl. ; Quercus cerris DC. ; Quercus humilis A.DC. ; Quercus lanuginosa subsp. palensis (Palassou) A.Camus ; Quercus palensis Palassou ; Quercus pubescens subsp. palensis (Palassou) O.Schwarz ; Quercus stolonifera Lapeyr. ; Quercus tauza Desf. ; Quercus tauzin Pers. ; Quercus tauzinii Bubani ; Quercus toza Bastard ;

Quercus pyrenaica, also known as Pyrenean oak,^[3] or Spanish oak^[4] is a tree native to southwestern Europe and northwestern North Africa. Despite its common name, it is rarely found in the Pyrenees Mountains and is more abundant in northern Portugal and north and northwestern Spain.

It is placed in section Quercus.^[5]

The oak is cultivated as an ornamental tree for gardens and parks.^[1]

Description

Quercus pyrenaica is a tall deciduous tree, often marcescent in immature individuals,^[6] up to 25 metres (80 feet) tall, though it is sometimes found as a bush or small tree. It has an average lifespan of 300 years.^[7] The leaves have short petioles and are deeply and irregularly lobed, with four to eight pairs of lobes per leaf. There are stellate hairs on both sides of the leaf.^[8] Roots frequently produce suckers. The species has high resprouting capabilities.^[1]

Seedling
Leaves and acorns
Habitat
Quercus pyrenaica in winter
Bark texture

Distribution and habitat

Quercus pyrenaica is native to the Iberian Peninsula and parts of southwest France and northern Morocco inhabiting mainly subatlantic or continental environments up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft) in elevation.^[8] In the Iberian Peninsula, which represents 95% of its population,^[1] it occupies mainly the northern portion, south of the Cantabrian Mountains, very common in the west of the Peninsula in the northern half of mountainous Portugal,^[6] and rare on the east^[8] It is adapted both to sub-humid temperate and Mediterranean semi-arid conditions, from the humid Peneda-Gerês National Park in Portugal, to the semi-arid Spanish central plain. It is also adapted to survive in hot local temperatures. It is thought to have a short growth season to avoid the summer drought.^[1] It is often the dominant species in the forests in which it occurs.^[7] Its acorns are dispersed by birds and small mammals.^[7]

Threats

The species is currently threatened by wild fire which encourage the growth of other oak species that Q. pyrenaica is unable to compete with, and insect pathogens such as green oak leaf roller moth (Tortrix viridana), the gipsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea); these threats may become of greater concern due to the impact of climate change.^[1]

Historically the species experienced decline due to charcoal and timber industry, and forestry activities still pose some threat to Q. pyrenaica but on a much reduced scale.^[1]