The Sawtooth Oak is native to China, Korea and Japan.  Due to its prolific acorn production and ornamental serrated leaves, its planting was carried out in North America for wildlife food provision and aesthetics; however, the bitterness of the acorns makes native animal species averse to their consumption, its leaves are less afflicted by insect predation, and as a result the Sawtooth Oak is becoming a problem species in some areas. Our investigations are focused on the characterization of the tannins by LCMS, comparison to native species, and submission of the Sawtooth Oak tannin whole and LC fractionated extracts to a battery of antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, cytotoxic, and germination inhibition assays to determine the specific ecological function of the individual tannins.  There are distinct variations in the amount, types, and identities of the tannins in Sawtooth Oak versus Native Oaks and these differences may be responsible for its competitive advantage.

Characterization of hydrolyzable tannins from sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) and correlation to ecological function

245th National Meeting (2013)

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