Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
Introductory
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Sullivan, Janet. Quercus lyrata. 1993. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/quelyr/all.html [].
ABBREVIATION :
QUELYR
SYNONYMS :
NO-ENTRY
SCS PLANT CODE :
QULY
COMMON NAMES :
overcup oak
swamp post oak
swamp white oak
water white oak
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of overcup oak is Quercus
lyrata Walt. [18,28]. Two accepted forms are differentiated [7]:
Q. l. forma lyrata, with hairy undersurfaces,
Q. l. forma viridis Trel., with scattered hairs on leaf undersurfaces.
Overcup oak hybridizes with many other oaks in the white oak subgenus
(Quercus) including white oak (Q. alba), swamp white oak (Q. bicolor),
Durand oak (Q. durandii), bur oak (Q. macrocarpa), swamp chestnut oak
(Q. michauxii), post oak (Q. stellata), and live oak (Q. virginiana)
[28]. Overcup oak is genetically most similar to post oak, based on
electrophoretic evidence [14].
LIFE FORM :
Tree
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Overcup oak occurs on the Coastal Plain from southern Virginia south to
Georgia and northwestern Florida; west to eastern Texas; north in the
Mississippi Valley to extreme southeastern Oklahoma, southern Illinois,
southwestern Indiana, and western Kentucky. Disjunct populations occur
in Delaware, Maryland, central Tennessee, and northern Alabama [27,28].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
STATES :
AL AR DE FL GA IL IN KY LA MS
MO NC OK SC TN TX VA WV
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
NO-ENTRY
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K113 Southern floodplain forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
14 Northern pin oak
61 River birch - sycamore
62 Silver maple - American elm
63 Cottonwood
65 Pin oak - sweetgum
87 Sweet gum - yellow-poplar
88 Willow oak - water oak - diamondleaf oak
91 Swamp chestnut oak - cherrybark oak
92 Sweetgum - willow oak
93 Sugarberry - American elm - green ash
94 Sycamore - sweetgum - American elm
95 Black willow
96 Overcup oak - water hickory
101 Baldcypress
102 Baldcypress - tupelo
103 Water tupelo - swamp tupelo
104 Sweetbay - swamp tupelo - redbay
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Overcup oak is dominant in only one described cover type, overcup
oak/water hickory (Carya aquatica) [8]. This cover type extended over
1,241,250 acres (496,500 ha) of the lower Mississippi Valley in 1990.
It was the most floristically diverse of the wet-site cover types, with
five species making up 60 percent of the basal area [30].
Tree associates not mentioned previously include laurel oak (Q.
laurifolia), American elm (Ulmus americana), cedar elm (U.
crassifolia), water locust (Gleditsia aquatica), common persimmon
(Diospyros virginiana), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), planer-tree (Planera
aquatica), and red maple (Acer rubrum). Shrub associates include
swamp-privet (Forestiera acuminata), roughleaf dogwood (Cornus
drummondii), swamp dogwood (C. stricta), and common buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis) [12,39].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
Overcup oak wood is used for lumber and cooperage. It is of low quality
when compared to the wood of other white oaks [39].
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Ducks, wild turkeys, squirrels, and white-tailed deer eat overcup oak
acorns [18]. The large size of overcup oak acorns renders them less
suitable for duck food than other acorns [6].
Overcup oaks are planted to improve wildlife habitat [39].
PALATABILITY :
Overcup oak acorns are low in palatability to fox squirrels when
compared to other acorns [33].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Overcup oak is planted as an ornamental [39].
Acorns of most oak species have been used as food by humans.
The bark of oak trees has been used to make dyes, and for tannin
extraction [23].
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Overcup oak is susceptible to heart rots after injuries, particularly
by fire [39].
Overcup oak is favored by clearcutting or group cutting on poorly
drained soils; it may be the only commercial species that grows well on
wet bottomland sites [11]. In Missouri, the removal of more desirable
species such as pin oak (Quercus palustris) may increase the proportion
of overcup oak. High early summer temperatures significantly reduce
overcup oak growth. Soil moisture is not a limiting factor on
floodplain sites; soil is apparently moist enough for growth even in dry
years [38]. Flooding from February to July is beneficial to
timber-sized overcup oak trees, but not other size classes [16].
Natural reforestation of bottomland oldfields now favors tree species
that tolerate dry soils because a large proportion of formerly wet sites
are subject to flood control. Since overcup oak is dependent on
overflow or floodwaters for seed dispersal, it has to be planted on
these sites if its presence is desired [32].
Post harvest site preparation for regeneration of overcup oak/water
hickory stands on low, flat sites or sloughs resulted in good numbers of
new overcup oak seedlings, regardless of treatment. The treatments
included 1) injecting all residual stems with herbicides, 2) leaving
residual basal area of desirables uninjected and injecting the remainder
with herbicide, or 3) shearing the entire site with a "V"-blade tractor
[20].
Nuttall oak (Q. nuttallii) is often used to replace overcup oak on sites
that have reduced flooding or stream flows [22]. Stream channelization
projects result in sites of varying stability over time. Overcup oak is
only associated with channelized sites that are relatively stable [19].
The inconsistency of stump sprouting makes this an unreliable source of
new stems for stand regeneration [39].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Overcup oak is a deciduous, native tree [12]. Mature trees usually
range from 60 to 90 feet (18-27 m), and 24 to 30 inches (61-76 cm)
d.b.h. Maximum height is rarely over 100 feet (30 m) [34,39]. The bark
has thick, irregular plates or ridges covered with inner scales. The
root system is usually shallow and saucer shaped. Seedling taproots are
usually replaced by a lateral root system [39]. Mature crown leaves
range from 5 to 8.5 inches (13-21.5 cm) in length and are usually five-
to nine-lobed [12]. The acorns range from 0.48 to 1 inch (12-25 mm) in
length, and are nearly globose to broadly ovoid. The acorn cup
covers two-thirds to nearly all of the acorn, with acute scales [7].
Oaks usually grow slowly for the first 10 to 15 years; growth rates
become more rapid thereafter [21]. The national champion overcup oak
for 1976 was in South Carolina; it measured 22 feet (6.7 m) in
circumference, was 123 feet (37 m) tall, and had a 48-foot (14.6-m)
crown spread [12]. The largest overcup oak (ranked by point system in
1990) was found in Texas. It was 51.1 inches (129.8 cm) in diameter,
160.53 inches (13.37 m) in circumference, and 114 feet tall (34.7 m)
[29]. Overcup oaks can live to 400 years of age [39].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Overcup oak becomes sexually mature around 25 to 30 years of age. Good
seed crops are produced approximately every 3 or 4 years, although yield
is relatively low compared to other oaks [39,43]. Overcup oak acorns
have a unique spongy shell that renders them buoyant [26]. They are
disseminated by water and, to a lesser extent, animals [39]. Acorns can
be carried long distances by streams. Overcup oak acorns have been
found on the beach of a northwestern Florida island, miles from any
apparent seed source [4]. Overcup oak acorns are dormant only over the
winter and germinate in the spring after flood waters recede [39]. One
study reported that submergence reduces germination [16]. Another study,
however, found soaking overcup oak acorns strongly retarded germination,
but did not appreciably reduce germination rates. The first-mentioned
study may be based on shorter test times, and not have allowed for the
ability of overcup oak to germinate after a long period. Delayed
germination may be an adaptive trait that increases the likelihood that
young seedlings will germinate after spring floods recede. Partial
shade is beneficial for oak germination [34]. Good germination occurs on
moist surface soils when acorns are covered by leaves [21].
Natural reproduction is usually prolific, but mortality rates are high,
probably due to flooding. Successful regeneration is dependent on the
an adequate seed source and complete absence of fire [39].
Stumps of small trees sprout vigorously but not consistently [39].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Overcup oak occurs on low, wet soils in floodplain forests, bottomlands,
streambanks, and bayous, and sometimes on adjacent lower slopes [7,12].
It occurs most often on soils with a moderate water table depth. Sites
are commonly flooded for 29 to 40 percent of the growing season
[15,16,39].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Overcup oak forms climax stands on low, backwater flats and is usually
subclimax on better sites. It is relatively intolerant of shade [39].
It usually succeeds black willow during very slow succession on shallow
swamps or on slough margins [36]. Disturbance results in a strong
release response from suppressed overcup oaks [38].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Overcup oak is late to leaf out in the spring, sometimes as long as a
month behind sympatric species. This late emergence probably
contributes to its flood tolerance [36,39]. Overcup oak flowers from
March to May as its new leaves appear [7,39]. Acorns ripen the same
year, from September to October, and are disseminated shortly thereafter [1].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Fires may be severe during prolonged drought in the swamps in which
overcup oak occurs. Fires in these bottomlands are usually surface
fires which destroy young seedlings and saplings of all species, and
scorch the bark of larger trees, including overcup oaks [35].
FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find Fire Regimes".
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tree with adventitious-bud root crown/soboliferous species root sucker
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
DeSelm and Clebsch [5] reported that mature overcup oak trees are
somewhat resistant to direct mortality from fire, but barely survived
two to five prescribed fires between 1964 and 1988 [5].
In overcup oak, even minor injuries from fire can create avenues of
infection for heart rots, which can cause decadence and/or mortality
years later [39,41].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Young overcup oak trees may sprout after top-kill by fire.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
The usual fire season for bottomland hardwoods is fall, especially in
years when summer drought extends to fall and winter [36].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Quercus lyrata
REFERENCES :
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