Quercus acuta, the Japanese evergreen oak, is an oak native to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China's Guizhou Province and Guangdong Province.[3] It is placed in subgenus Cerris, section Cyclobalanopsis.[4]

Japanese evergreen oak
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Fagaceae
Genus: Quercus
Subgenus: Quercus subg. Cerris
Section: Quercus sect. Cyclobalanopsis
Species:
Q. acuta
Binomial name
Quercus acuta
Synonyms[2]
List
  • Cyclobalanopsis acuta (Thunb.) Oerst.
  • Cyclobalanopsis acutiformis (Nakai) Nakai
  • Cyclobalanopsis buergeri (Blume) Oerst.
  • Cyclobalanopsis laevigata (Blume) Oerst.
  • Cyclobalanopsis marginata (Blume) Oerst.
  • Quercus buergeri Blume
  • Quercus carpostachys H.Lév. & Vaniot
  • Quercus kasaimok H.Lév. ex Nakai
  • Quercus kusaiensis H.Lév. ex Rehder
  • Quercus laevigata Blume
  • Quercus marginata Blume
  • Quercus pseudoglauca H.Lév. ex Nakai
  • Quercus quelpaertensis H.Lév. ex Nakai

Description

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Due to its foliage and habitat, it looks rather unlike most other oaks. Quercus acuta is usually bushy and densely domed, reaching a height of 14 meters. The bark is smooth and dark grey. Leaves are dark and glossy above and yellowish beneath. They narrow to a long, finely-rounded tip. The flowers are on a stiff 5 cm catkin.

Heartwood is pale reddish brown to reddish brown. Sapwood is pale yellowish brown with a slightly reddish color.[5]

Common names

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In Japan, it is called akagashi (赤樫 - あかがし), but is also known by the names oogashi (大樫 - オオガシ) and oobagashi (大葉樫 - オオバガシ).[6] [7]

In the Korean language, it is 붉가시.

Uses

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Like shirakashi (白樫 - しらかし) (Quercus myrsinifolia), whose wood is often called shirokashi outside of Japan, and other related sub-genera, Japanese Evergreen Oak, or akagashi, is a preferred choice for Japanese martial arts practice weapons such as bokken.[8][9] This is due to its uniformly tight grain structure resulting from its continuous growing season. It should not be confused with the oriental or Asian white oak, Quercus aliena.

References

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  1. ^ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018). "Quercus acuta". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 208. IUCN. e.T62005627A13677623. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T62005627A136776235.en.
  2. ^ The Plant List, Quercus acuta Thunb.
  3. ^ "Quercus acuta"Oaks of the World Accessed 8 April 2011.
  4. ^ Denk, Thomas; Grimm, Guido W.; Manos, Paul S.; Deng, Min & Hipp, Andrew L. (2017). "Appendix 2.1: An updated infrageneric classification of the oaks" (xls). figshare. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  5. ^ 木材図鑑 - Picture Book of Woods [1] Accessed 22 March 2017. (in Japanese)
  6. ^ TSUYUZAKI Shiro's Plant List - Hokkaido University
  7. ^ 植物和名ー学名インデックス YList - The YList Botanical Name - Scientific Name Index [2] Accessed 22 March 2017. (in Japanese)
  8. ^ Zaimoku - Wood for Weapons [3] Accessed 22 March 2017.
  9. ^ James Goedkoop: "Woods for Training Weapons". Aikiweb [4] Accessed 10 November 2012.