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
2 comments:
Gotta get to bed, but comment here first. I appreciate learning what is the special attraction for oaks-and-acorns you possess. But Ces, I'm beginning to know that you are vitally interested in everything, in life, in the Universe.
Combination of that interest in all things, your intelligence, and certainly those many wonderful talents--you are a super-quality .
gift to all of us.
Ces, all I have to do, is turn on the engine of this Puget (computer), click a few times, and I am in another world. Seriously, I know of no other place, so diversified and so professional, and so addictive. Some times I'll be here, and two minutes seem to go by--except that my clock tells me it was two HOURS!
I'd better stop this praise, or you'll wind up charging a subscription fee...but then YOU'D be giving them all away!--grin!
Can you tell, I've just had a hot coffee? HA! Now, to bed...
PEACE!
TSUP
Looks like a very ornate cup. Reminds me of an Easter egg. Speaking of Easter, how's the weather on Christmas Island? Is it really the future in Kirimati? How is that? It's near Hawaii, no? Hmmmm. I am disoriented, sorry.
I love your nuts, though, I must tell you.
I just read that Botanists are no longer requiring Latin names for new species. As long as they are not like those entomologists who named a fly after Beyonce. :)
Tsup!
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