Quercus afares
Encyclopedia
Quercus afares is a species of oak native to Algeria
and Tunisia
. It has a very limited distribution in the coastal mountains of the eastern Tell Atlas
in Algeria, and the Mogod-Kroumerie region of northwestern Tunisia. Quercus afares is deciduous
, with a corky
bark (thinner than that of the Cork Oak
, Q. suber), and can reach 25–30 metres in height. It grows in dense stands, associated with Cork Oak at elevations as low as 200 metres, and with the semi-deciduous Algerian Oak
(Q. canariensis) from 700 to 1600 metres elevation. Q. afares can also be found in monospecific stands, especially above 1200 metres on soils damaged by fire. It is endemic
to the eastern coastal portion of the Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests
ecoregion.
The relationship of Q. afares to other oaks has recently undergone a revision. It was initially classified in section Cerris, because of morphological similarities with two other species, Turkey Oak
(Q. cerris) of southern Europe and Chestnut-leaved Oak
(Q. castaneifolia) of the Caucasus and northern Iran. A genetic analysis using both nuclear (allozymes) and chloroplastic markers found that Q. afares originated as a hybrid of Q. suber and Q. canariensis. Although it is common for oaks of related species to hybridize, the parent species of Q. afares are from genetically distant sections of the genus, Q. suber from section Cerris and Q. canariensis from section Mesobalanus. C. Mir et al. maintain that because Q. afares is genetically, morphologically and ecologically differentiated from its parental species, it should therefore be considered a stabilised hybrid species. Like Q. suber, it has a biennial reproductive cycle, corky bark, and similar fruit, and also does not occur on limestone soils. Unlike Q. suber, which is limited to coastal areas with mild winters, Q. afares shares the cold-tolerance of Q. canariensis which shares some of its mountain habitats.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. It has a very limited distribution in the coastal mountains of the eastern Tell Atlas
Tell Atlas
The Tell Atlas is a mountain chain over 1,500 kilometers in length, belonging to the Atlas mountain ranges in North Africa, stretching from Morocco, through Algeria to Tunisia. It parallels the Mediterranean coast...
in Algeria, and the Mogod-Kroumerie region of northwestern Tunisia. Quercus afares is deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, with a corky
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
bark (thinner than that of the Cork Oak
Cork Oak
Quercus suber, commonly called the Cork Oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.It grows to up to 20 m,...
, Q. suber), and can reach 25–30 metres in height. It grows in dense stands, associated with Cork Oak at elevations as low as 200 metres, and with the semi-deciduous Algerian Oak
Algerian Oak
Quercus canariensis, the Algerian Oak or Mirbeck's Oak is an oak in the section Quercus sect. Mesobalanus, native to southern Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco; despite the scientific name, it does not occur naturally today in the Canary Islands, though it may have done in the...
(Q. canariensis) from 700 to 1600 metres elevation. Q. afares can also be found in monospecific stands, especially above 1200 metres on soils damaged by fire. It is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the eastern coastal portion of the Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests
Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests
Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests is an ecoregion, in the temperate coniferous forest Biome, which occupies the high mountain ranges of North Africa and southern Spain. The term is also a botanically recognized plant association in the African and Mediterranean literature...
ecoregion.
The relationship of Q. afares to other oaks has recently undergone a revision. It was initially classified in section Cerris, because of morphological similarities with two other species, Turkey Oak
Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris, the Turkey oak is an oak native to southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is the type species of Quercus sect. Cerris, a section of the genus characterised by shoot buds surrounded by soft bristles, bristle-tipped leaf lobes, and acorns that usually mature in 18...
(Q. cerris) of southern Europe and Chestnut-leaved Oak
Chestnut-leaved Oak
Quercus castaneifolia, the Chestnut-leaved Oak, is a species of oak in the turkey oak section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is native to the Caucasus and Alborz mountains of Iran, and resembles the closely related Turkey Oak in appearance....
(Q. castaneifolia) of the Caucasus and northern Iran. A genetic analysis using both nuclear (allozymes) and chloroplastic markers found that Q. afares originated as a hybrid of Q. suber and Q. canariensis. Although it is common for oaks of related species to hybridize, the parent species of Q. afares are from genetically distant sections of the genus, Q. suber from section Cerris and Q. canariensis from section Mesobalanus. C. Mir et al. maintain that because Q. afares is genetically, morphologically and ecologically differentiated from its parental species, it should therefore be considered a stabilised hybrid species. Like Q. suber, it has a biennial reproductive cycle, corky bark, and similar fruit, and also does not occur on limestone soils. Unlike Q. suber, which is limited to coastal areas with mild winters, Q. afares shares the cold-tolerance of Q. canariensis which shares some of its mountain habitats.