Cyclobalanopsis stenophylloides (Hayata), 台湾窄叶青冈, wan zhai ye qing gang, also known as Cyclobalanopsis stenophylla(Blume) Schottky var. stenophylloides (Hayata) J. C. Liao; Q. salicina Blume var. stenophylloides(Hayata) S. S. Ying; Q. stenophylla (Blume) Makino var. stenophylloides (Hayata) A. Camus. Pen and ink drawing on ATC-sized Bristol board.
This is an oak from Taiwan; up to 17 meters tall (55.77 ft) with grey slender branches. This is the description of the leaf and acorn from http://www.efloras.org: "Petiole 1.5-2 cm, glabrous; leaf blade oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, 7-12 × 1.5-3.5 cm, leathery, abaxially farinose and with prostrate simple hairs but usually glabrescent, adaxially green, base narrowly acute to rounded, margin with short, awnlike serrations, apex acuminate to caudate; secondary veins 11-13 on each side of midvein, extending into serration; tertiary veins abaxially inconspicuous to obscure. Female inflorescences 2-2.5 cm, cupules 6 or 7. Cupule cupular, 1-1.5 × ca. 1.2 cm, enclosing ca. 1/2 or less of nut, outside and inside grayish velutinous, wall less than 1 mm thick; bracts in 6 or 8 rings, margin dentate. Nut ellipsoid, 1.7-2 × ca. 1.5 cm, glabrous; scar ca. 5 mm in diam., flat; stylopodium persistent, conspicuous, 3-ringed. Fl. Apr-May, fr. Sep-Oct of following year.* Broad-leaved evergreen forests in mountains; (500)1100-2600 m. C to N Taiwan"
One of the reasons that attract me to the literature of science (Botany, Zoology, Anatomy, or just every professional endeavor) is the terminology. I am constantly forced to open the dictionary. Take a look at my simple illustrations. They are described using the following terms: glabrous, lanceolate, abaxial, farinose, prostrate, glabrescent, adaxial, acuminate, awn, caudate, velutinous, dentate, ellipsoid, stylopodium...
Whew!!! Then I look for the meaning and I picture this beautiful oak and my illustrations look like weak attempts to capture its essence. Sigh*
At any rate, my sidebar contains a Glossary of terms. Oh and one more thing, doesn't the cup of the acorn remind you of the cups at oriental restaurants? :) Of course I have several of those cups. I keep thinking of rice while drawing these acorns. I think, if we look around, we can emulate nature in designing our wares.
P.S. It is Saturday in Kirimati, Kiribati