Fleet Tree

A breed of evergreen Oak that is native to the Verdant Strand.
They tend to grow at altitudes above 500 metres sea level which provides it a very limited range of growth in the island chain. They grow up to 50 metres tall, and have trunks of a metre wide. Leaves tend to bunch at the end of branches, and are oblong and roughly 15 cm long. Unlike many other kinds of Quercus, the trunk largely grows straight though the branches are as gnarled as to be expected for a Quercus.
The name Fleet Tree comes from the fact that this tree was the backbone of the Sea Elven Realm for millenia. It is a very dense kind of wood that can handle stresses exceptionally well. The branches tended to be used for the hulls of the vessels, where the curved nature of the wood had little effect. The straight trunks could be milled for planks.
Running the grain perpendicular to lines of stress allowed it to endure a great deal of stress.
The Fleet Tree is considered a major element to the domination the Sea Elves enjoyed before the rise of steel ships.
The tree is unsuitable for the building of furniture due to the woods nature to warp when not under stress.
Its durable nature makes it a first choice for use in tools.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

The predominant method of pollination is the wind. Squirrels, though a major predatory of seeds, is also the largest contributor for the spread of seeds due to stocks of forgotten seeds.

Scientific Name

Quercus Classis

Conservation Status

Wooden shipbuilding no longer represents the industry it once did and many of the tree farms have been replaced with cash crops. Some still exist for building of luxury ships, and for use as handles in tools.
In the mountains and areas unsuitable for farming in the Verdant Strand, forests which include the Fleet Tree are still found. Though not nearly as common as it once was, they are not considered under threat of extinction.