Abstract: The original time and geological distribution of Quercus are disscussed based on fos-sil records. The fossil record of Quercus was thought to extend far back into the Cretaceous. Most Cretaceous fossils assigned to Quercus are however poorly preserved and none have been proven to be Quercus. The first believable record of Quercus is from the mid-dle Eocene Clarno Formation of Oregon, United States. This fossil showed that Quercus was already diverse in the Eocene.

Key words: Fagaceae