Valonia oak | |
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Example of Q. macrolepis at Tricase, Lecce | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Fagales |
Family: | Fagaceae |
Genus: | Quercus |
Section: | Cerris |
Species: | Q. macrolepis |
Binomial name | |
Quercus macrolepis Kotschy |
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Synonyms | |
Quercus ithaburensis |
Quercus ithaburensis
Quercus aegilops
Quercus macrolepis, the Valonia oak, is a tree in the family Fagaceae. It used to be considered a subspecies of Quercus ithaburensis or a hybrid of Quercus libani. It appears to be closely related to Quercus brantii but with cupscales less curved and the cup covering almost all the fruit with sunken apex and shorter petiole.
It is found in the Balkans, and in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, including the Greek Islands, Turkey, Israel, and Morocco.
The cups, known as valonia, are used for tanning and dyeing as are the unripe acorns called camata or camatina. The ripe acorns are eaten raw or boiled.