List of Quercus species


The genus Quercus contains about 500 known species, plus about 180 hybrids between them. The genus, as is the case with many large genera, is divided into subgenera and sections. Traditionally, the genus Quercus was divided into the two subgenera Cyclobalanopsis, the ring-cupped oaks, and Quercus, which included all the other sections. However, a comprehensive revision in 2017 identified different relationships. Now the genus is commonly divided into a subgenus Quercus and a subgenus Cerris, with Cyclobalanopsis included in the latter. The sections of subgenus Quercus are mostly native to the New World, with the notable exception of the white oaks of sect. Quercus and the endemic Quercus pontica. In contrast, the sections of the subgenus Cerris are exclusively native to the Old World.
Unless otherwise indicated, the lists which follow contain all the species accepted by Plants of the World Online as of 2023, plus selected hybrids that are also accepted, with placement into sections based on a list produced by Denk et al. for their 2017 classification of the genus.

Legend

Species with evergreen foliage are tagged '#'. Species in the genus have been recategorized between deciduous and evergreen on numerous occasions, although this does not necessarily mean that species in the two groups are closely related.

Subgenus ''Quercus''

Section ''Quercus''

Section Mesobalanus was included in section Quercus in the 2017 classification used here. Other synonyms include Q. sect. Albae and Q. sect. Macrocarpae. The section comprises the white oaks from Europe, Asia, north Africa, Central and North America. Styles short; acorns mature in 6 months, sweet or slightly bitter, inside of acorn shell hairless.
file:Quercus hiholensis acorn UWBM 56470-3 Pigg & Wehr 2002 Plt2 fig16.png|thumb|right|upright|Quercus hiholensis acorn in matrix

Section ''Ponticae''

Species are native to Western Asia and Western North America. They produce catkins up to 10cm long; the acorns mature annually.Quercus pontica — Pontine oak — western AsiaQuercus sadleriana — deer oak — # southwestern Oregon, northern California

Section ''Protobalanus''

The intermediate oaks. Southwest USA and northwest Mexico. Styles short, acorns mature in 18 months, very bitter, inside of acorn shell woolly.Quercus cedrosensisCedros Island oak — # California, Baja CaliforniaQuercus chrysolepis — canyon live oak — # southwestern North AmericaQuercus palmeri — Palmer oak — # California, western ArizonaQuercus tomentella — island oak — # Channel Islands of California, Baja California Quercus vacciniifolia — huckleberry oak — # southwestern North America

Section ''Lobatae''

The red oaks, native to North, Central and South America. Styles long, acorns mature in 18 months, very bitter, inside of acorn shell woolly.

Section ''Virentes''

Section Virentes has also been treated at lower ranks. Species are native south-eastern Northern America, Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America. A 2017 classification included seven species:

Subgenus ''Cerris''

Section ''Cerris''

Species are native to Europe, north Africa and Asia. Styles long; acorns mature in 18 months, very bitter, inside of acorn shell hairless or slightly hairy.

Section ''Ilex''

Species in section Ilex are native to Eurasia and northern Africa. Styles medium-long; acorns mature in 12–24 months, appearing hairy on the inside. Evergreen leaves, with bristle-like extensions on the teeth.
  • Quercus acrodonta Seemen — # China
  • Quercus alnifolia Poech — golden oak — # Cyprus
  • Quercus aquifolioides Rehder & E.H.Wilson — # China
  • Quercus aucheri Jaub. & Spach – eastern Aegean Islands and southwestern Turkey
  • Quercus baloot Griff. – Afghanistan to western Himalayas
  • Quercus baronii Skan – China
  • Quercus bawanglingensis – # Hainan
  • Quercus coccifera L., syn. Quercus calliprinos Webb – kermes oak – # southern Europe
  • Quercus cocciferoides Hand.-Mazz. – south-central China
  • Quercus dolicholepis A.Camus – China
  • Quercus engleriana Seemen – Tibet and southern China
  • Quercus fimbriata Y.C.Hsu & H.Wei Jen – south-central China
  • Quercus floribunda Lindl. ex A.Camus – Moru oak – # Himalayas
  • Quercus franchetii Skan – China, eastern Asia
  • Quercus gilliana Rehder & E.H.Wilson – Tibet and China
  • Quercus guyavifolia H.Lév. – China
  • Quercus handeliana A.Camus – China
  • Quercus ilex L. – holly oak or holm oak – # southern Europe
  • Quercus kingiana Craib – south-Central China, Myanmar, and Thailand
  • Quercus kongshanensis Y.C.Hsu & H.Wei Jen – China
  • Quercus lanata Sm. – woolly-leaved oak – # Himalayas, southeast Asia
  • Quercus leucotrichophora A.Camus – Banj oak, blackjack oak, grey oak – # Himalayas
  • Quercus lodicosa O.E.Warb. & E.F.Warb. – Assam, southeastern Tibet, northern Myanmar
  • Quercus longispica A.Camus – China
  • Quercus marlipoensis Hu & W.C.Cheng – China
  • Quercus monimotricha Hand.-Mazz. – south-central China and northern Myanmar
  • Quercus oxyphylla Hand.-Mazz. – China
  • Quercus pannosa Hand.-Mazz. # – China
  • Quercus phillyreoides A.Gray – Southern China, Ryukyu Islands, Japan
  • Quercus pseudococcifera Desf. – Iberia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sardinia, Sicily
  • Quercus rehderiana Hand.-Mazz. – Tibet to China
  • Quercus rotundifolia Lam. – ballota oak or holm oak – # Iberian peninsula, northwestern Africa
  • Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. – brown oak or Kharshu oak – # Himalayas
  • Quercus senescens Hand.-Mazz. – Eastern Himalayas, Tibet, south-central China
  • Quercus setulosa Hickel & A.Camus – # Laos, Vietnam
  • Quercus spinosa David – China, Myanmar
  • Quercus tarokoensis Hayata – eastern Taiwan
  • Quercus tungmaiensis Y.T.Chang – Arunachal Pradesh and southeastern Tibet
  • Quercus utilis Hu & W.C.Cheng – China
  • Quercus yiwuensis Y.C.Hsu & H.Wei Jen – China

Section ''Cyclobalanopsis''

The ring-cupped oaks, native to eastern and southeastern tropical Asia. They have corns with distinctive cups bearing concrescent rings of scales. They commonly also have densely clustered acorns, though this does not apply to all of the species. About 90 species.
; Species

Section uncertain

Intersectional hybrids