Female flowers appear as individual reddish spikes with surrounding leaves. The flowers are catkins, maturing in about 6–7 months into acorns long and broad. Acorns are most often distributed by water due to their buoyancy and preferred habitat. Acorns germinate best in moist soils and when covered with leaf litter. Taxonomy Quercus lyrata was first described in 1788 by Thomas Walter,a British born American botanist. It has two synonyms: Quercus bicolor and Scolodrys lyrata. The word "Quercus" is of Celtic origin and means "beautiful tree." The species name "lyrata" comes from the word lyrate. This refers to its lyre-shaped leaves. Distribution and habitat Quercus lyrata has an extensive range that extends across the central and eastern United States. It is in all the coastal states from New Jersey to Texas, inland as far as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Illinois. It is found in small populations in the states of Delaware, Tennessee, Maryland, and Alabama. There are historical reports of it growing in Iowa, but the species appears to have been extirpated there. The overcup oak is also considered to be endangered in New Jersey. The species is most often found along floodplains, wetlands, and swamps. It prefers clay type soils, generally low lying clay or silty clay. It has adapted to survive in areas that are poorly drained and have large amounts of flooding. It can withstand continuous flooding for two or more growing seasons. Ecology The overcup oak is one of the dominant species within an oak–water hickory forest and can often be associated with Quercus phellos (willow oak), Ulmus americana (American elm), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), Carya aquatica (water hickory), and Acer rubrum (red maple). Q. lyrata is not considered a dominant species in many other types of forest ecosystems. The species is known to provide both food and habitat to a range of wildlife. Its acorns can be eaten by small mammals and birds such as squirrels and wild turkeys. The tree is considered to be somewhat deer-resistant, however, white-tail deer also eat its acorns. It also helps provide canopy cover and habitat for many species. Like many oaks, Q. Lyrata provides habitat to a variety of Lepidoptera including Eacles imperialis (imperial moth), Satyrium calanus (Banded Hairstreak), Satyrium edwardsii (Edward's Hairstreak), Strymon melinus (Gray hairstreak), Parrhasius m-album (White M Hairstreak), Erynnis horatius (Horace’s Duskywing ), and Erynnis juvenalis (Juvenal’s Duskywing). Threats Pests that impact Q. lyrata include Bucculatrix