Part 34

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature in second autumn after flowering; cup deep, covering about ½ of the nut, with closely appressed, sharp-pointed scales, somewhat glossy or slightly pubescent, forming a fringe around the edge which is closely appressed to the large ovoid, reddish-brown and sometimes striate nut.

=Bark=.—On trunks resembling that of Red Oak, but with shallower fissures and narrower ridges; inner bark reddish.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.

=Range=.—Maine to North Carolina and west to Minnesota and Nebraska.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common in all parts of the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Prefers dry sandy soil of hillsides and ridges.

=Notes=.—The wood of Scarlet Oak is of less value than that of several other oaks, but is frequently used for lumber, cross-ties, and other purposes. The tree is desirable for streets or parks and in autumn is especially attractive.

BLACK OAK

=Quercus velutina=, Lam.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long, clear, slightly tapering; crown spreading and rounded.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 5-10 inches long, lobes usually 7, with coarse, bristle-tipped teeth, thick and firm, dark green and shining above, paler beneath; on lower limbs and young trees, often with rounded, mucronate lobes; petioles yellowish.

=Flowers=.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the staminate flowers in long, hairy catkins; the pistillate on short stalks, reddish.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature the second autumn after flowering; cup deep, cup-shaped, enclosing about ½ of the nut; scales reddish-brown pubescent, tightly appressed at the base, and loosely over-lapping at the edge forming a fringe-like margin; nut small, light reddish-brown, often pubescent; kernel yellow, bitter.

=Bark=.—Rough with thick cross-fissured ridges, nearly black, inner bark yellow and bitter.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, brown, with thin lighter sapwood.

=Range=.—Northern New England and Ontario, west to Minnesota and Nebraska, south to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State except at high elevations.

=Habitat=.—Rich soils of slopes or drier gravelly soils of ridges.

=Notes=.—Black Oak is very common but of less value than several of the other oaks. The lumber is similar to that of Red Oak. For the characteristics which distinguish this oak from the species with which it is most often confused, see “Notes” on Red Oak. Yellow Oak and Black Jack are two local names for this oak in West Virginia.

SPANISH OAK

=Quercus falcata=, Michx.

=Form=.—Height 60-80 feet, diameter 2-3 feet; crown round-topped.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 6-7 inches long; variable in shape, with 3-7 toothed bristle pointed lobes, terminal lobes often elongated and falcate, dark green and lustrous above, paler and downy beneath.

=Flowers=.—April-May, with the leaves; monoecious; staminate flowers in long catkins, the pistillate on short hairy stalks.

=Fruit=.—Acorns mature the second autumn after flowering; cup hemispheric, ½-¾ inch across, reddish-brown inside and with reddish, pale, pubescent scales; nut ½ inch long, ovoid, pale orange-brown.

=Bark=.—On trunks with shallow fissures and brownish scaly ridges.

=Wood=.—Hard, strong, not durable, coarse-grained, reddish with light sapwood.

=Range=.—New Jersey to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.