FAGACEAE
Morphological description
Monoecious trees. Bast fibres penetrating into the wood (Lithocarpus, Quercus)
Leaves
Leaves usually spiral; entire simple, penninerved; stipules caduceus. Leaves 3-verticillate (Trigonobalanus); leaves distichous, stipules peltate (Nothofagus); leaves crowded, dentate apically (Quercus)
Inflorescence
Inflorescence catkin.
Flowers
Flower minute, ovary inferior, 3-6-locular, ovules 2 per cell.
Fruit
Fruit in a woody cupule, often with spines.
Different from: Myricaceae: ovary superior, fruit a drupe. — Lauraceae: exstipulate, ovary usually superior, cupule (if present) fleshy.
Distribution: The family widespread (not in Africa). In Malesia 5 genera, mostly in montane rain forest: - Castanopsis (South & East Asia, Malesia, California); - Lithocarpus (South & East Asia, Malesia, California); - Nothofagus (New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, South America); - Quercus (Eurasia, West Malesia, America); - Trigonobalanus (Southeast Asia, Malesia, South America).
Notes: Edible fruit: Castanopsis. — Timber: Lithocarpus, Quercus.
Literature: E. Soepadmo, Fl. Males. I, 7 (1972) 265- 403.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Fagaceae 30, 58, 79, 105 - Castanopsis 26, 95 - Lithocarpus 22, 43, 95 - Nothofagus 22, 26, 35 - Quercus 46, 52 - Trigonobalanus 25, 46.
Illustrations: Fig. 67. Castanopsis hypophoenicia (von Seem.) Soepadmo: a. habit; b. underside of leaf; c. fruit; d. LS of fruit. Fig. 68. Lithocarpus turbinatus (Stapf) Form.: a. habit; b. female inflorescence; c. terminal bud; d. male flower; e. female flower; f. idem in LS; g-i. fruit; j & k. seed; l. LS of fruit. Fig. 69 (above). Quercus lineata Blume: a. habit with male catkins; b. male flower; c. female flower; d. cupule and fruit. — Fig. 70 (below). Nothofagus womersleyi Steenis: a. habit; b. male flowers of N. grandis Steenis; c. cupule of N. perryi Steenis.
Image in PhytoImages for Fagaceae