Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

50*Quercus cerris. Turkey oak.Five tetrad records in Hall (1980), only one of which matches our records. We have recordedit mainly in the Pippingford Park - Old Lodge area as trees with occasional saplings, and asisolated trees elsewhere.It is widely planted for timber and grows rapidly. In some areas of Britain it is very4 5invasive and may be as common as the pedunculate oak, but does not appear to be spreadingsignificantly on the Forest. It is an introduced species in Britain, but occurs naturally fromsouthern Europe eastwards to Asia.Turkey oak is easily distinguished from the other oaks by the acorn cups which have longhairs or scales. The leaves are hairy and very variable, ranging from shaliowly to deeply lobed.It hybridises with pedunculate oak elsewhere in southern Britain, but hybrids have not yet been recorded in our area.No knopper galls (caused by the insect Andricus quercusalicis) have been noted in 1993-1995 on the Forest - theepidemic of the 1980s has come under control naturally by parasites and parasitoids (Q. cerris is the secondary host).*Quercus i/ex. Evergreen oak.One mature tree in woodland from Twyford area (394.311), 1995, DB but no seedlings noted.This species is native in southern Europe, especially on limestone, and is becoming naturalizedin similar places in Britain (e.g. Isle of Wig ht, Torquay). Fortunately it is frost sensitive andrarely invasive inland or on acidic soils and is unlikely to invade the Forest, though it is3 increasing in England (Rich & Woodruff 1996).4 5auercus petraea. Sessile oak.In wood between Hartfield and Forest Row, E. Forster IWolley·Dod 1937} but probablyoutside our area. Four tetrads in Hall (1980) but none match our records and surely overrecorded?3-+j----Y-The main population on the Forest occurs in the ghyll west of Duddleswell 1458.284},where it may be relict from the original woodland cover. There is also a record from near4 5Goat cross·roads, 1987, PW Iwhich could not be found in 1993·1995} and trees growoutside the Forest at Furnace Wood (473.262) where they are quite frequent and areregenerating. Elsewhere in Sussex it is scattered ar.rn.ss the Weald, generally on acidic soilsand in rocky woods.Sessile oak differs from pedunculate oak by having many shallow lobes on the leaves, and acorns on stalks usuallyless than 2 cm long. It is commonest in western Britain but is widespread on the Continent.auercus X rosacea (a. petraea x rabur). Hybrid oak.3 -1--1-----4-Hybrids between the pedunculate oak and the sessile oak have mixed characters from bothparents, and where to draw the line between them is a matter of opinion (see Rich & Rich1988). Good examples of hybrids have been recorded at Duddleswell with both parents(458.284), and the edge of Moulden Wood near Poundgate 1497.283}. Hybrids are wellknown in Britain and Europe, and may occur with or without parents.4 5Quercus rabur. Pedunculate oak.Ubiquitous in both Hall (1980) and our survey, and widespread in Britain and Europe. This isthe commonest oak on the Forest, and has leaves with 4-6 deep lobes on each side, and;acorns on stalks more than 2 cm long. It is also one of the commonest trees, often invadingheathland as well as being a natural component of the woodlands. It is very common in3Sussex, Britain and Europe .••Oak has probably always been an important product of the Forest - though its currentabundance is primarily due to the absence of grazing - and it was protected from the right of4 5 estovers. Oaks were widely used for charcoal for the blast furnaces (Coleman's Hatch mayrefer to 'cole', or charcoal) and were an important source of income and revenue on theForest (see AFN 22: 3-4 and 23: 5-7). Acorns, with beech mast, may have been important for pannage for pigs andpiglets, and they were collected to be fed to pigs by Mrs E. Vernon of Horney Common (pers. comm. to MR). Many largetrees were blown over during the 1987 storm when one third of the 1500 acres of high woodland was lost, and the timberwas sold for veneer and hardwood frames (AFN 15: 2-4). Some large trees may even have nests of wild bees.