Oak origins : from acorns to species and the tree of life / Andrew L. Hipp ; illustrations by Rachel D. Davis ; foreword by Béatrice Chassé.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hipp, Andrew, author.

Contributor:

Davis, Rachel D., illustrator.

Chassé, Béatrice, writer of foreword.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Oak--Origin.

Oak.

Oak--Evolution.

Oak--Ecology.

Physical Description:

xi, 327 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, 2024.

Summary:

"Oaks are familiar to almost everyone, and beloved. They are embedded in our mythology, and sculpted into cathedral walls. They have fed us, housed us, provided wood for our ships and wine barrels and homes and halls, planked our roads, and kept us warm. It is hard to imagine a more important tree genus than oaks to the culture and ecology of the Northern Hemisphere. There has been a great deal written about oaks for popular audiences, but no book has focused on oaks' evolutionary history. In this engrossing book, Andrew L. Hipp, an expert on plant ecology and evolution, shows how oaks themselves are part of the Tree of Life, connecting all organisms that have ever lived on Earth. Considering oaks' lineage from their beginnings some 120 million years ago to today, he investigates how their evolution is imprinted on our world"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Foreword: Figuring things out / Béatrice Chassé

Introduction: What is an oak?

Flowers and acorns: populations arise and migrate

Variation: populations evolve

Species and their hybrids

Origins: fagaceae

Radiation: quercus

"Pharaoh's Dance": the oak genome

Oak communities

Epilogue: The future of oaks.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780226823577

0226823571

OCLC:

1430497471