50 FAGACEAE (BEECH FAMILY) 



lower, and the pistillate ones from the upper axils of the leaves. 

 (Name from phagein, to eat, in allusion to the edible nuts.) 



F. grandifolia, BEECH. Large tree, leaves oblong-ovate, taper- 

 pointed, distinctly and often coarsely toothed, light green. The prickles 

 of the grayish or yellowish fruit filiform, elongated, recurved or 

 spreading. Rich uplands. 



QUERCUS (OAK) 



Flowers greenish, yellowish, or reddish. All the species in- 

 cline to hybridize freely. The involucre forms a scaly cup around 

 the base of the rounded nut or acorn. 



Q. alba, WHITE OAK. Leaves when young whitish beneath, when 

 mature pale or glaucous beneath, bright green above, obovate-oblong, 

 obliquely cut into 5-9 oblong or linear and obtuse, mostly entire 

 lobes. The cup hemispherical saucer-shaped, roughish at maturity, 

 much shorter than the ovoid (2-3 cm. long) acorn. Dry upland woods. 



Q. stellata, POST OAK. Leaves grayish or brownish, downy under- 

 neath, dark green and rough above, thickish, 5-7 rounded divergent 

 lobes, the upper ones much larger and often 1-3 notched. Acorn 1-2 

 cm. long. Sandy or sterile soil. 



Q. macrocarpa, BUR OAK. Leaves obovate or oblong, sometimes 

 nearly entire, irregular, downy or pale beneath, the lobes sparingly 

 and obtusely toothed, or in the smaller ones entire. The cup deep, thick 

 and woody (2-5 cm. across) with hard, thick, pointed, and conspicu- 

 ously imbricated scales, the upper ones usually making a mossy- 

 fringed border. The acorn is broadly ovoid and half covered by or 

 entirely enclosed by the cup. A large and valuable tree, extremely 

 variable in the size and fringe of the acorn cups. Rich soil. 



Q. bicolor, SWAMP WHITE OAK. Leaves obovate or oblong ovate, 

 wedge-shaped base, usually soft downy beneath. The cup J to \ as 

 long as the acorn, woody, the upper scales awn-pointed, sometimes 

 forming a mossy-fringed margin. Acorn 2-3 cm. long, peduncled. A 

 large tree with flaky bark. Borders of streams and swamps. 



Q. muhlenbergii, CHESTNUT OAK. Leaves slender petioled, often 

 oblong or even lanceolate, usually acute or pointed, mostly obtuse or 

 rounded at base, almost equally and rather sharply toothed. The cup 

 nearly sessile, shallow, thin, and composed of small scales. The acorn 

 globose or obovoid, 1.5 to 2 cm. long. Dry limestone hillsides and 

 rich bottoms. A tall tree whose bark becomes flaky. 



