''Quercus insignis'' is a Mesoamerican species of oak in the white oak section, (''Quercus'' section ''Quercus'') within the beech family. It is native to southern Mexico and Central America, from Veracruz to Panamá.

Description

''Quercus insignis'' is generally a large tree, growing up to 30 meters in height. The tree has

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

up to and across. The

acorn The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'' and '' Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains one seed (occasionally two seeds), enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne ...

s are large and distinctive, up to 8 cm in diameter, the cup covered with extended scales that give the cup a bur-like appearance. It produces acorns every five to ten years. Acorns mature in June to July in the southern parts of its Central American range, and in October in the northernmost populations in southern Mexico. It is generally a slow-growing tree, with a long life-cyle, and regenerates slowly after disturbances.

Range and habitat

''Quercus insignis'' is found in humid mountain cloud forests, between 1500 and 2500 meters elevation. Despite a wide range, its populations are scattered and low-density. In Mexico, its range includes the

Sierra de San Juan The Sierra de San Juan Biosphere Reserve is a protected area in Nayarit state of western Mexico. It was established in 2003, and has an area of 198.01 km2.UNEP-WCMC (2021). "Protected Area Profile for Sierra de San Juan from the World Databas ...

in Nayarit, the Sierra el Cuale and Sierra de Manantlán in western Jalisco, scattered populations in the

Sierra Madre del Sur The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca. Geography The Sierra Madre del Sur joins with the Eje Volcánico Transv ...

of Guerrero and Oaxaca, the easternmost Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt above Xalapa in Veracruz, and the

Sierra Madre de Chiapas The Sierra Madre de Chiapas is a major mountain range in Central America. It crosses El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras. The Sierra Madre de Chiapas is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges that consists of an almos ...

and Chiapas Highlands in Chiapas. In Central America, its range includes the Maya Mountains of Belize, and scattered locations in the mountains of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama.

Conservation and threats

The species is rare in Mexico, Panama, and Guatemala, although reportedly still locally abundant in Nicaragua. The species conservation status is Endangered. It suffers from habitat loss and habitat fragmentation from deforestation, often for timber extraction or conversion to coffee plantations.

References

External links

photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in Veracruz in 1914, showing acorn of same individual as in other photocollected in Veracruz in 1914, showing leaves of same individual as in other photo
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6324634 insignis Trees of Central America Trees of Oaxaca Trees of Veracruz Trees of Jalisco Trees of Nayarit Trees of Guerrero Flora of the Sierra Madre del Sur Flora of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Chiapas Highlands Sierra Madre de Chiapas Plants described in 1843 Oaks of Mexico Cloud forest flora of Mexico