Quercus 1291 



QUERCUS AUDLEYENSIS 

 Quercus Ilex x Q. sessiliflora (?) 



At Audley End, Essex, there is a remarkable oak, which we have been 

 unable to identify with any described species, and which is probably a hybrid 

 between the evergreen oak and Q. sessiliflora. It is characterised as follows : — 



Young branchlets slender, grey tomentose, the tomentum being retained in 

 the second year. Buds \ ^o \ in., ovoid, obtuse, few-scaled, pubescent. Stipules 

 persistent, linear, pilose, \ in. long, two at the base of each leaf Leaves 

 (Plate 338, Fig. 59) slightly coriaceous, falling late in the season, up to 3J in. 

 long and 2 in. broad, very variable in shape on the same branch, narrow 

 elliptical and entire or slightly undulate in margin, or obovate to obovate-oblong 

 with 4 to 5 pairs of sinuate teeth or small lobes in the upper two-thirds, 

 occasionally with one to three teeth near the apex ; teeth with or without a 

 minute projecting mucro ; nerves five to eight pairs, ending in the teeth or 

 dividing before reaching the margin when it is entire ; apex rounded ; base 

 unequal, rounded or cuneate ; both surfaces stellate pubescent when young, upper 

 surface, when mature, dark green, shining, glabrous ; lower surface pale green, 

 retaining the pubescence on the midrib and basal part of the blade ; petiole 

 ^ to f in. long, with scattered stellate tomentum. 



Fruit, imperfect, probably never developing, in pairs at the apex of a short 

 erect tomentose axillary peduncle. 



In favour of this oak being a hybrid, may be noticed the instability of form 

 of the leaves on the same branch ; some resemble the entire leaves of Q. Ilex ; 

 others are like the obovate lobed leaves of Q. sessiliflora. It agrees with both 

 species in the nervation. The slender tomentose branchlets, minute mucros of the 

 teeth, and the persistent stipules are like Q. Ilex, from which it may derive its 

 subevergreen habit. 



It resembles superficially some of the forms of Q. lusitanica in Portugal, but 

 these have uniform leaves on the same branchlet and are different in venation. 



This beautiful oak, the origin of which is unknown,^ has bark somewhat 

 resembling that of Q. Ilex, and measured in 1908, 86 ft. in height and 11 ft. 

 3 in. in girth (Plate 327). It was reported never to bear fruit; but a few 

 imperfect acorns were formed in 1909. (A. H.) 



• Lord Braybrooke informs us that in a catalogue of trees at Audley End, made in 1834, he finds " Lucombe's Oak " 

 mentioned ; and as I saw no tree of that species, it is probable that it is the same as the one now described. 



