Part 36

+White Oak+

Quercus alba L.

HABIT.--A large tree 60-80 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet; forming a short, thick trunk with stout, horizontal, far-reaching limbs, more or less gnarled and twisted in old age, and a broad, open crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 5-9 inches long, about one-half as broad; obovate to oblong; 5-9-lobed, some with broad lobes and shallow sinuses, others with narrow lobes and deep, narrow sinuses, the lobes usually entire; thin and firm; glabrous, bright green above, pale or glaucous beneath; often persistent on the tree through the winter.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 2-3 inches long; the pistillate sessile or short-peduncled, reddish, tomentose; calyx campanulate, 6-8-lobed, yellow, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 6-8, with yellow anthers; stigmas red.

FRUIT.--Autumn of first season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup with small, brown-tomentose scales, inclosing one-fourth of the nut; nut oblong-ovoid, rounded at the apex, about 3/4 inch long, light brown; kernel sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, broadly ovoid, obtuse; scales smooth, dark red-brown.

BARK.--Twigs at first bright green, tomentose, later reddish, and finally ashy gray; thick, light gray or whitish on old trunks, shallowly fissured into broad, flat ridges.

WOOD.--Very heavy, strong, hard, tough, close-grained, durable, light brown, with thin, light brown sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Rare in the Upper Peninsula, common in the Lower Peninsula, especially in the lower half.

HABITAT.--Grows well in all but very wet soils, in all open exposures.

NOTES.--Slow and even of growth. Difficult to transplant.

1. Winter twig, × 2. 2. Leaf, × 1/3. 3. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 4. Staminate flower, enlarged. 5. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 6. Fruit, × 1.]

+FAGACEAE+

+Bur Oak+

Quercus macrocarpa Michx.

HABIT.--A large tree 60-80 feet high, with a trunk 2-4 feet in diameter; great, spreading branches form a broad, rugged crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 6-10 inches long and one-half as broad; obovate to oblong, wedge-shaped at the base; crenately lobed, usually cut nearly to the midrib by two opposite sinuses near the middle; thick and firm; dark green and shining above, pale-pubescent beneath; petioles short, stout.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in slender, hairy catkins 4-6 inches long; the pistillate sessile or short-stalked, reddish, tomentose; calyx 4-6-lobed, yellow-green, downy; corolla 0; stamens 4-6, with yellow anthers; stigmas bright red.

FRUIT.--Autumn of first season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; very variable in size and shape; cup typically deep, cup-shaped, tomentose, fringed at the rim, inclosing one-third or all of the nut; nut broad-ovoid, 1/2-1-1/2 inches long, brownish, pubescent; kernel white, sweet and edible.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, broadly ovoid or conical, red-brown, pale-pubescent.

BARK.--Twigs yellow-brown, thick-tomentose, becoming ash-gray or brownish; branches with corky ridges; thick and gray-brown on the trunk, deeply furrowed.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, tough, close-grained, very durable, brownish, with thin, pale sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Common throughout both peninsulas.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, moist soil; bottom-lands; but is tolerant of many soils.

NOTES.--Rather slow of growth. Difficult to transplant.

1. Winter twig, × 2. 2. Leaf, × 1/2. 3. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 4. Staminate flower, enlarged. 5. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 6. Fruit, × 1.]

+FAGACEAE+