Section Lepidobalanus Higher classification Oak | Genus Quercus Scientific name Quercus lusitanica Rank Species | |
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Similar Oak, Quercus canariensis, Quercus macranthera, Quercus pontica, Quercus libani | ||
Quercus lusitanica, commonly known as gall oak, Lusitanian oak, or dyer's oak, is a species of oak native to Morocco, Portugal, and Spain (Galicia, western Andalucia). Quercus lusitanica is the source of commercial nutgalls. These galls are produced by the infection from the insect Cynips gallae tinctoriae. They are used for dyeing.
Several other species are known colloquially as "gall oaks;" indeed, galls can be found on a large percentage of oak species. The specific epithet "lusitanica" refers to the ancient Roman Province of Lusitania, corresponding roughly to present-day Portugal and Extremadura in Spain.
References
Quercus lusitanica Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA