Quercus hemisphaerica
Quercus hemisphaerica is a species of oak native to the southeastern and south-central United States. It is in the red oak section of Quercus sect. Lobatae. It is often confused with and closely related to Quercus laurifolia, from which it differs in several key characteristics.
Description
Quercus hemisphaerica is a medium-sized evergreen to semi-evergreen tree which can grow as tall as with a trunk diameter of, although it is more commonly around tall. The leaves are entire, without teeth except one apical awn, mostly elliptical or narrowly ovate, and long by wide. The petiole is very short, ranging from long, and the leaf base is obtuse to rounded. The acorns are hemispheric in shape and by. The acorns take 18 months to mature and are a fourth to a third covered by a saucer- to bowl-shaped cap.Similar species
Q. hemisphaerica resembles Quercus laurifolia. They can be distinguished using these criteria.- When both sand laurel oak and swamp laurel oak are growing in the same area, sand laurel oak will flower about two weeks later than swamp laurel oak.
- Sand laurel oak grows on dry sandy soils, while swamp laurel oak grows on flood plains, river bottoms, and occasionally poorly drained upland soils.
- Sand laurel oak has narrow ovate or elliptic leaves, while swamp laurel oak has rhombic or broad ovate leaves.
- Sand laurel oak has an acute leaf apex and a rounded or obtuse leaf base, while swamp laurel oak has an obtuse or rounded leaf apex and a cuneate or attenuate leaf base.
- Sand laurel oak is mostly evergreen, while swamp laurel oak is mostly tardily deciduous.
Distribution and habitat
The tree can be found from Texas to Delaware.It grows in somewhat xeric sandy soils, on sand hills, and sometimes on hillsides.