Part 38

+Red Oak+

Quercus rubra L.

HABIT.--A large tree 70-80 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-4 feet; forming a broad, rounded crown of a few large, wide-spreading branches and slender branchlets.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 5-9 inches long, 4-6 inches broad; oval to obovate; 5-11-lobed with coarse-toothed, bristle-tipped lobes tapering from broad bases and wide, oblique, rounded sinuses; thin and firm; dull dark green above, paler beneath; petioles stout, 1-2 inches long.

FLOWERS.--April-May, when the leaves are half grown; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 4-5 inches long; the pistillate on short, glabrous peduncles; calyx 4-5-lobed, greenish; corolla 0; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas long, spreading, bright green.

FRUIT.--Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup shallow, saucer-shaped, inclosing only the base of the nut; scales closely appressed, more or less glossy, puberulous, bright red-brown; nut oblong-ovoid with a broad base, about 1 inch long, red-brown; kernel white, very bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/4 inch long, ovoid, acute, light brown, smooth.

BARK.--Twigs lustrous, green, becoming reddish, finally dark brown; young trunks smooth, gray-brown; old trunks darker, shallowly fissured into thin, firm, broad ridges; inner bark light red, not bitter.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light red-brown, with thin, darker colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Southern portion of Lower Peninsula as far north as Roscommon County.

HABITAT.--Prefers rich, moist loam; glacial drift; stream-banks. Grows well in all well-drained soils.

NOTES.--Grows rapidly. A good street tree.

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

+FAGACEAE+

+Pin Oak+

Quercus palustris Muench.

HABIT.--A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet; forming an oblong or pyramidal crown of many upright, spreading branches, the lowermost drooping nearly to the ground.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, 2-4 inches broad; obovate to ovate; 5-7-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes few-toothed, bristle-tipped; thin and firm; very lustrous, dark green above, paler beneath; petioles slender.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in hairy catkins 2-4 inches long; the pistillate tomentose, borne on short, tomentose peduncles; calyx 4-5-lobed, hairy; corolla 0; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas recurved, bright red.

FRUIT.--Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup saucer-shaped with scales closely appressed, dark red-brown, inclosing only the base of the nut; nut nearly hemi-spherical, about 1/2 inch in diameter, light brown; kernel bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8 inch long, ovoid or conical, acute, light brown, smooth.

BARK.--Twigs dark red and tomentose at first, becoming lustrous, green, finally gray-brown; thick, gray-brown and smoothish on the trunk.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light brown, with thin, darker colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Confined to the most southern portions of the Lower Peninsula.

HABITAT.--Prefers moist, rich soil; river-bottoms; borders of swamps.

NOTES.--Grows rapidly and uniformly. Easily transplanted. The tiny branchlets at a distance give the impression of the tree being full of pins.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Portion of twig, enlarged. 3. Leaf, × 1/2. 4. Flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 5. Staminate flower, enlarged. 6. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 7. Fruit, × 1.]

+FAGACEAE+