White oak
General poisoning notes:
White oak (Quercus alba) is a native tree found in southern Quebec and Ontario. Ingesting the leaves and acorns has caused some toxic problems in cattle. The concentration of toxic phenolics is less than in red or black oak (Q. rubra or Q. velutina). Symptoms are similar for all three species of oak. In severe cases, renal failure usually results in death (Sandusky et al. 1977, Cockrill and Beasley 1979).
Description:
Trees , deciduous, to 25 m. Bark light gray, scaly. Twigs green or reddish, becoming gray, 2-3(-4) mm diam., initially pubescent, soon glabrous. Buds dark reddish brown, ovoid, ca. 3 mm, apex obtuse, glabrous. Leaves: petiole (4-)10-25(-30) mm. Leaf blade obovate to narrowly elliptic or narrowly obovate, (79-)120-180(-230) × (40-)70-110(-165) mm, base narrowly cuneate to acute, margins moderately to deeply lobed, lobes often narrow, rounded distally, sinuses extending 1/3-7/8 distance to midrib, secondary veins arched, divergent, (3-)5-7 on each side, apex broadly rounded or ovate; surfaces abaxially light green, with numerous whitish or reddish erect hairs, these quickly shed as leaf expands, adaxially light gray-green, dull or glossy. Acorns 1-3, subsessile or on peduncle to 25(-50) mm; cup hemispheric, enclosing 1/4 nut, scales closely appressed, finely grayish tomentose; nut light brown, ovoid-ellipsoid or oblong, (12-)15-21(-25) × 9-18 mm, glabrous. Cotyledons distinct. 2 n = 24.
Quercus alba L.
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Quercus alba L.
Vernacular name(s): white oak, eastern white oak, chêne blanc.
Scientific family name: Fagaceae
Vernacular family name: beech
Geographic Information:
Ontario, Quebec.
Toxic parts:
Acorns, leaves.
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
See notes under chemicals in red oak (Quercusrubra).
Toxic plant chemicals:
Gallic acid, pyrogallol, tannic acid.
Gallic acid
Pyrogallol
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of poisoning:
Anorexia, ascites, death, dehydration, depression, diarrhea, kidney failure.
Notes on poisoning:
Toxic symptoms include anorexia, rumen atony, hemorrhagic diarrhea, subcutaneous edema, ascites, and dehydration. Renal failure usually results in death. Postmortem examination revealed perirenal edema and hemorrhage. The kidneys had a characteristic nephrosis in a multifocal pattern, of the proximal convoluted tubules (Sandusky et al. 1977, Cockrill and Beasley 1979).
