Family: Fagaceae Genus: Quercus Common name: Kermes Oak (Carrasca) Uses and properties: Furniture, construction and tools. Medicinal. Flowering time: April and May. Life forms: Macrophanerophyte (Macrofaneròfit). Habitats: Groves of holm oak, kermes oak and cork oak. Rocky crevices and cliffs. Heath margins, siliceous shoots. Forms the climatic forest community in areas with more than 500 mm of average rainfall. Features: Kermes oak has an oblong leaf, dark green on the front and with many veins (more than 8 pairs) on the back. This characteristic distinguishes it from subsp. ballota, which has more rounded leaves, greyish green on the front and grey with few veins on the back. In any case, the great variability in leaf morphology always makes identification difficult. Observations: It is the most representative Spanish tree. It is a tree of great ornamental value. In the region we can find the Carrascal de Parcent, the Sierra de la Carrasca in the Vall d'Ebo, the Carrascalet de Alcalá de la Jovada near the farmhouses of Capa and Mona, the Font de las Carrascas in the Vall de Laguar. Other uses of the holm oak in the region include: - Scratched bark of branches and stump. Soft or dry. A pinch per cup. One cup on an empty stomach to reduce diarrhoea (Benialí, Benissivà).
- Skin or bark of the holm oak for "diarrhoea" (Benirrama).
- The skin of the holm oak is good for all inflammations. Boiled. Cures all types of inflammation: angina, diarrhoea .... For diarrhoea, it is necessary to stay in the skin of the holm oak for 48 hours and not eat anything (Jesús Pobre).
- Cups of Kermes Oak skin for kidney colic and urination (Pego).
- One cup of holm oak bark makes you urinate (Beniaia).
- A cup of holm oak peel or bark for sciatica (L'Atzúbia).
Information taken from the website http://herbarivirtual.uib.es/ i de Pellicer, Joan (2000). Costumari Botànic. Edicions del Bullent |