About Quercus insignis M.Martens & Galeotti
Quercus insignis M.Martens & Galeotti is typically a large tree, reaching up to 30 meters in height. Its leaves can grow up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) long and 8 centimeters (3 inches) wide. It produces large, distinctive acorns that reach up to 8 centimeters in diameter; the acorn cup is covered with extended scales that give it a bur-like appearance. Acorn production occurs only every five to ten years. In the southern portions of its Central American range, acorns mature between June and July, while acorns mature in October for the northernmost populations located in southern Mexico. This species is generally slow-growing, has a long life cycle, and regenerates slowly after disturbances. Quercus insignis grows in humid mountain cloud forests, at elevations between 1500 and 2500 meters. Although it has an overall wide range, its populations are scattered and occur at low density. Within Mexico, it can be found in the Sierra de San Juan in Nayarit, the Sierra el Cuale and Sierra de Manantlán in western Jalisco, scattered populations in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero and Oaxaca, the easternmost Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt above Xalapa in Veracruz, and the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and Chiapas Highlands in Chiapas. Within Central America, it inhabits the Maya Mountains of Belize, as well as scattered mountain locations in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama.
