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Sessile Oak (quercus petraea)
Quercus petraea is commonly
known as the Sessile Oak. The word "sessile" means without stalk and refers to the acorns
which cluster very close to the branches without any stalk. Sessile Oak (quercus
petraea) It can reach heights of 40m (130ft) in the correct conditions. It prefers
the poorer soil of the northern areas of the UK. Similar to the Common Oak, the Sessile Oak
has ideal wood for construction and furniture.
The leaves of the Sessile Oak can be distinguished from those of
the Common Oak because they are held on long stems. Click the left hand picture to
see this more clearly.
Although the bark is unremarkable and not particularly useful
for identification, the stem of the Sessile Oak is much more slender in
comparison to its lookalike the Common Oak.
The Sessile Oak is also distinguished by a long length of
bare stem before the branches spread out in a fan-like shape.
AWAITING PICTURE
As mentioned above, the acorns of the Sessile Oak are held very tight into the
branches with almost no stem. The acorns grow to about 2.5cm (1in) long and are
cup is scaly.
Sessile Oak, click to enlarge.
Quercus petraea is one of only two oaks which are native to the
British Isles. It has a long and relatively slender stem when compared to the Common Oak.
The sessile Oak also has branches which form a fan shape when fully grown.
