Part 39

+Scarlet Oak+

Quercus coccinea Muench.

HABIT.--A tree 40-50 feet high and 12-15 inches in trunk diameter; long, slender branches form a rather open, rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long and nearly as broad; broadly obovate to oval; 5-9-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes toothed and bristle-tipped; thin and firm; shining, bright green above, paler beneath, both sides glabrous; turning brilliant scarlet in autumn; petioles slender, 1-2 inches long.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in glabrous catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate on pubescent peduncles 1/2 inch long, bright red, pubescent; calyx 4-5-lobed, reddish, pubescent; corolla 0; stamens usually 4, with yellow anthers; stigmas long, spreading, bright red.

FRUIT.--Autumn of second season; sessile or short-stalked acorns; cup top-shaped to cup-shaped, with closely imbricated, slightly puberulous, red-brown scales, inclosing about one-half of the nut; nut usually short-ovoid, 1/2-3/4 inch long, light red-brown; kernel whitish, bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud about 1/4 inch long, broadly ovoid, acute, dark red-brown, pale-pubescent above the middle.

BARK.--Twigs at first scurfy-pubescent, later lustrous, green, finally smooth, light brown; thick, dark gray or brown on old trunks, shallowly fissured, scaly; inner bark red, not bitter.

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

DISTRIBUTION.--Lower Peninsula, southern half.

HABITAT.--Prefers a light, dry, sandy soil.

NOTES.--Rapid of growth. Desirable for ornamental planting.

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+

+Hill's Oak. Northern Pin Oak. Black Oak+

Quercus ellipsoidalis E. J. Hill

HABIT.--A tree 50-60 feet high, with a short trunk 2-3 feet in diameter; forming a rather narrow, oblong crown of upright and horizontal branches. Many small, drooping branches are sent out near the ground, which eventually die; and it is to the stubs or pins which persist about the trunk that the appelation Pin Oak is due.

LEAVES.--Alternate, simple, 3-7 inches long and about as broad; oval to nearly orbicular; narrowly 5-7-lobed by deep, wide, rounded sinuses, the lobes few-toothed, bristle-tipped; thin and firm; lustrous, bright green above, paler beneath, both sides glabrous except for the tufts of hairs in the axils of the veins beneath; petioles slender, glabrous.

FLOWERS.--May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in puberulous catkins 2-3 inches long; the pistillate red, tomentose, borne on stout, tomentose, 1-3-flowered peduncles; calyx 2-5-lobed or-parted, glabrous except at the apex, which is fringed with long, twisted hairs; corolla 0; stamens 2-5, with short filaments; stigmas 3, recurved, dark red.

FRUIT.--Autumn of second season; short-stalked or nearly sessile acorns; cup top-shaped, with scales thin, puberulous, inclosing one-third to one-half of the nut; nut ellipsoid, 1/2-3/4 inch long, light brown, puberulous; kernel yellow, bitter.

WINTER-BUDS.--Terminal bud 1/8-1/4 inch long, ovoid, rather obtuse, slightly angular, lustrous, red-brown.

BARK.--Twigs bright red-brown, covered with matted, pale hairs, becoming glabrous, dark gray or brown; thin, dull gray to dark brown, rather smooth or closely ribbed on the trunk; inner bark yellow.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, red-brown, with thin, paler sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--South-western part of the Lower Peninsula, but limits not definitely known.

HABITAT.--Well-drained uplands, especially on clays; occasionally on the borders of ponds and in low woods.

NOTES.--A new and comparatively little known species.

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

+FAGACEAE+