Quercus costaricensis - Trees and Shrubs Online

Glossary

acuminate

Narrowing gradually to a point.

apex

(pl. apices) Tip. apical At the apex.

synonym

(syn.) (botanical) An alternative or former name for a taxon usually considered to be invalid (often given in brackets). Synonyms arise when a taxon has been described more than once (the prior name usually being the one accepted as correct) or if an article of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature has been contravened requiring the publishing of a new name. Developments in taxonomic thought may be reflected in an increasing list of synonyms as generic or specific concepts change over time.

Quercus costaricensis: New leaves emerge covered in pinkish tomentum; Pan American Highway, San José Province, Costa Rica (October 2017). Image Roderick Cameron.

A large tree to 40 m tall and 1 m or more in diameter with stout shoots densely covered in red-brown hairs when young, becoming glabrous. Leaves broadly elliptic to obovate, leathery, to 9 × 5 cm, rounded at the apex or sometimes pointed, rounded to slightly heart-shaped at the base, the margin entire, revolute and often slightly undulate. They are glossy dark green above with 7–9 deeply impressed veins on each side of the midrib, the lower surface with brown hairs, sometimes only in the axils of the veins, which are prominent. Petiole to 4 mm long, rarely to 1 cm. Fruits solitary or in pairs on a short, stout peduncle of up to 1 cm. Cupules goblet-shaped, narrowed to the base, to 15 × 25 mm with loosely appressed scales. Acorns hemispherical to ovoid, 20–30 mm long and broad, ¼ to ½ included in the cup and ripening the first year. (Muller 1942; Trelease 1924).

Distribution Costa Rica Panama

Habitat Mountain rainforests, 2000–3500 m.

USDA Hardiness Zone 9

RHS Hardiness Rating H3

Conservation status Vulnerable (VU)

Introduced from the slopes of the Irazu volcano in Costa Rica by Francisco Garin in 1993. It has reached 18 m tall at the Iturraran Botanic garden in Spain and was only damaged by frost when still a young plant (F. Garin, pers. comm.). Even more surprising is a plant also deriving from Costa Rica seed, which was 3 m tall at Penrice Castle, Wales, in 2021 (T. Methuen-Campbell, pers. comm.).

Quercus costaricensis was described by Liebmann in 1854 from a specimen collected on Volcán Irazu in Costa Rica (hence the epithet). Several references include Honduras in the distribution, but this is apparently based on misidentified specimens. The species is distributed primarily in Costa Rica, and it can also be found just across the border in Panama (Alvarez-Clare et al. 2020; Zamora Villalobos et al. 2017).

Otto Kunze published Quercus irazuensis in 1891, based on a specimen from the same location. It has larger leaves that when young are attenuated at both ends and have an acuminate apex, but these differences seem to disappear as the trees mature, and it is treated as a synonym here (Garin 2021).

A mature Quercus costaricensis in Parque Nacional Los Quetzales, Costa Rica, at 3000 m elevation (April 2015). Image Francisco Garin.

Twigs loaded with maturing acorns on Quercus costaricensis; Pan American Highway, San José Province, Costa Rica (October 2017). Image Roderick Cameron.

Quercus costaricensis foliage at Iturraran Botanic Garden, Spain, in October 2012. Image Charles Snyers.

Foliage of Quercus costaricensis at Iturraran Botanic Garden in July 2019 showing the impressed leaf venation. Image Maricela Rodriguez.

Quercus costaricensis: Young foliage on a plant originally grown as Q. irazuensis at Iturraran Botanic garden, Spain in July 2019. Image Maricela Rodriguez.

Quercus costaricensis: The hairy and prominently-veined leaf underside at Iturraran Botanic Garden, Spain in September 2021. Image © Koen Camelbeke, Arboretum Wespelaar.

Quercus costaricensis: Undersides of the leaves coated with dense, rust-coloured pubescence; Pan American Highway, San José Province, Costa Rica (October 2017). Image Roderick Cameron.

Quercus costaricensis: Young twigs are covered in tawny pubescence, but below that are quite dark, earning the species its common name in Spanish: 'roble negro' (black oak); Pan American Highway, San José Province, Costa Rica (October 2017). Image Roderick Cameron.

Quercus costaricensis: The upper surface of the leaves is covered with sparse pubescence; Parque Nacional Los Quetzales, Costa Rica (April 2015). Image Francisco Garin.

Immature acorn on Quercus costaricensis; Pan American Highway, San José Province, Costa Rica (October 2017). Image Roderick Cameron.

Maturing acorns on Quercus costaricensis at Iturraran Botanical Garden, Spain (December 2011). Image Francisco Garin.

Quercus costaricensis at Arboretum Chocha, France in October 2021. Image Philippe de Spoelberch.

Quercus costaricensis catkins on a tree at Parque Nacional Los Quetzales, Costa Rica (April 2015). Image Francisco Garin.

Foliage on Quercus costaricensis, from a tree at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica (21 October 2021). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Lamina lower surface initial pubescence on Quercus costaricensis (San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica – 21 October 2021). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Bullate lamina upper surface on Quercus costaricensis (San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica – 21 October 2021). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Lamina lower surface venation on Quercus costaricensis (San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica – 21 October 2021). Image © Jan De Langhe - Arboretum Wespelaar.

Quercus costaricensis Liebm.

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