This semi-deciduous or marcescent (dropping its leaves in the spring) tree can grow up to 30 metres in height. It has a broad ovoid shaped crown. The leaves are irregularly shaped between 5 and 20 centimetres in length, characterized by protruding secondary ribs (6 to 18), which are parallel and very straight, the underside of the leaf is sometimes hairy, especially the secondary ribs branch.
In Portugal, this oak is indigenous, although very rare and it is only found in the Serra de Monchique (hence its local name). It grows in areas covered with cork oaks, on moist and cool hillsides, often near a watercourse. This species also occurs in Spain, especially in Andalusia (in the area surrounding Gibraltar) and in the north of Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia).
The leaves can last for more than an annual cycle, and it is not uncommon, especially in warmer and more humid areas, for the leaves to survive throughout the winter. Thus, in spring, these oaks can be covered in young green leaves as well as dry leaves from the autumn and slightly yellowed leaves left over from the winter months.
The genus Quercus is part of the medium-sized Fagaceae (beech) family that comprises six genera and about 600 species. Most originate in temperate zones in the Northern Hemisphere, except for the species Nothofagus, which only grows in the Southern Hemisphere. Fagaceae are mainly trees, characterized by simple leaves, unisexual flowers, and nuts enclosed in a husk