80 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



more liigii. The extreme base was hollow. The other was a standing 

 tree, measuring 15J feet girth at four feet from the ground, the trunk 

 about 20 feet, and the total height 100 feet or more. The top was widely 

 spreading, probablj' measuring nearly or quite 100 feet ambitus. 



64. (213.) Quercm coccinea. Scarlet Oak; "Black Oak" (!). 



This tree is apparently not popularly distinguished from Q. tinctoria. 

 Dr. Schueclr, in his catalogue, gives the maxinuim measurements of this 

 species as 20 J feet girth, 04 feet trunk, and 181 feet total height. I am 

 unable to give measurements of my own, however. It is apparently our 

 tallest oak, though I had supposed Q. rubra to be entitled to this dis- 

 tinction. 



65. (218.) Quercus falcafa. Spanish Oak. 



Common, along with Q. nigra and Q. im1)ri<;aria, in poor soils. Very 

 rare in rich grounds, only one tree being seen in the bottoms; this a very 

 large one near White River, in Gibson County. It measured 14 feet in 

 circumference, and was estimated to be 130 feet high, with a crooked 

 trunk of 60 to 70 feet clear. The bark was remarkably light colored, 

 appearing almost as pale as some of the white oak section, but the 

 leaves, a number of which were obtained (the date being November 2, 

 and the ground beneath the tree covered with them, while many, still 

 adhering to the branches, aftbrded proof that those on the ground were 

 from the same tree), were unquestionably those of Q.falcata. A pho- 

 tograph of this tree is in my possession, and sj)ecimens of the leaves 

 were deposited in the herbarium of the Agricultural Department. As 

 usually found growing, however, in drier and poorer soils, this oak is 

 by no means a large tree, seldom exceeding 80 feet in height, and prob- 

 ably not averaging over 50 or 60 feet, with a diameter of 1 to 2 feet. 



66. (222.) Quercus imbricaria. Laurel Oak; Shingle Oak. 



With possibly the exception of Q. alba, this is the most abundant and 

 generally distributed species, at least in Wabash County. It is the 

 most slender of all the oaks, and in some rich bottoms trees 100 feet in 

 height and 50 feet to the limbs are only 6 to 7 feet in girth ; one tree, 

 however, measuring nearly 4 feet in diameter (11 feet in circumference) 

 and over 100 feet high, has been measured. The largest prostrate tree 

 measured was 100 feet long, 50 feet to the first limb, and 6J feet in 

 girth. It is only in very rich lands, however, that this species attains 

 such large dimensions, and on poorer soils, where it is more abundant, 

 it does not usually much exceed half this size. 



Flowers May 9 to 12, leafing about the 2d or 3d of the same month. 



67. (226). Quercus lyrata. Overcup Oak ; Swamp Post Oak. 



Not uncommon in some places, but very local — more so, indeed, than 

 any other of our oaks. It is confined almost entirely to the low " swales " 

 or depressions in the bottom lands, where the ground is either often over- 



