Quercus albicaulis

The species is threatened by restricted distribution and habitat destruction. Quercus albicaulis occurs in natural forest areas in Hainan province which is threatened by habitat destruction. A 2015 study by Zhai et al. found that Hainan province has seen a loss in natural forest area and an increase in rubber plantation area from 1995 to 2005. The study noted that the trend occurred in protected areas as well. The loss of natural forest and increase in area for rubber plantations leads to habitat destruction and fragmentation for species that rely on natural forest habitat. The species could also be vulnerable to local fuel-wood collecting.

The type locality for Quercus albicaulis in Sanya city needs to be visited to ascertain site status. If lost, an intensive field-survey of protected areas in the immediate vicinity of Sanya (by specialists for Quercus albicaulis) could reveal additional individuals of this rare species, and allow for urgently required ex situ propagation measures. Quercus albicaulis is not currently recorded in any ex situ collections (BGCI 2020). The species has been assessed as Critically Endangered in the Red List of China.