valonia

[ vuh-loh-nee-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

acorn cups of an Old World oak, Quercus macrolepis (or Q. aegilops ), used in tanning, dyeing, and making ink.

valonia

/ vəˈləʊnɪə /

the acorn cups and unripe acorns of the Eurasian oak Quercus aegilops, used in tanning, dyeing, and making ink

Origin of valonia¹

1715–25; < Italian vallonia < Modern Greek balánia, plural of baláni acorn

Origin of valonia¹

C18: from Italian vallonia, ultimately from Greek balanos acorn

Greek valonia is greyer in colour, and contains 26 % to 30 % of tannin.

Greek valonia is obtained from many parts of the Archipelago and mainland.

The Smyrna or Turkish valonia is best, and contains 32 % to 36 % of an almost white tannin.

As the acorn has practically no tannin value, the Greek valonia 36 contains only 25 to 28 per cent.

Of late years, very large quantities of valonia have been made into extract at two works in Smyrna.

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