THE KANSAS UNIVERSITY 

 SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



Vol. IX, No. 4.] DECEMBER, 1914. [v^°x?x s To E 



A Study of the Histological Variations of 

 Quercus muhlenbergii. 



BY JOHN A. ELLIOTT. 



Plates X[ to XV. 



THE work, the result of which this paper will set forth, was 

 done upon the suggestion and under the helpful direction 

 of Prof. W. C. Stevens. Four native oaks growing in close 

 proximity and similar in many characteristics showed some 

 differences which made their classification rather doubtful. 

 A study of the anatomy was undertaken as a more definite 

 means of detecting constant similarities and variations. 



One of the four filled the description of Q. muhlenbergii 

 in Gray and Britton and Brown. The other three did not fit 

 satisfactorily anj^ description, so that in the study all three 

 were designated by numbers, as 1, 2, 3 and 4. Specimens of 

 each sent to the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University, were 

 returned as all being Q. muhlenbergii. This made the des- 

 ignation by number as good as any as a basis for description. 



MACROSCOPIC DIFFERENCES. 



The leaves of No. 1 averaged smaller than those of the 

 other trees and were more uniform in shape and size. The 

 teeth of the serrate margin were sharply acuminate, averag- 

 ing about ten on a side. The secondary veins were almost 

 straight. The leaves of Nos. 2, 3 and 4 varied greatly in 

 size and form, the teeth never being as sharply acuminate as 

 in No. 1, and the leaves, especially of Nos. 2 and 3, being gen- 

 Received for publication May 11, 1914. 



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 2 — Univ. Sci. Bull., Vol. IX, No. 4. 



