A NEW OAK FROM THE GULF STATES 



By W. D. Sterrett 



There was recently brought to my attention by W. W. Ashe, of the 

 U. S. Forest Service, material of an oak he collected in Louisiana and 

 eastern Texas, and which he seemed to regard as possibly an unde- 

 scribed species. This material he suggested might represent the same 

 form as a tree which I found in South Carolina in March, 1921, and 

 which I discussed with him : a tree of wet flat woods with leaves some- 

 what resembling post oak, but locally regarded as a timber tree much 

 superior to the post oak. It was not possible, however, to secure at 

 that season adequate material for study. Information regarding this 

 tree he thought might be of service to me in connection with the prep- 

 aration of a bulletin on which I worked for the United States Forest 

 Service on the distribution and economic importance of the oaks of 

 eastern United States and on which Mr. Ashe freely gave me assist- 

 ance and suggestions. The description of this tree based on Mr. 

 Ashe 's material and notes is as follows : 



Quercus ashei, sp. nov. 



The lower leaves, broadly obovate in outline, are 8-12 cm. long, 5-9 

 cm. broad, deeply 5-lobed, the terminal lobe and upper pair of lateral 

 lobes very broad at the obtuse or even square ends which are usually 

 slightly 3-notched, the lower pair much shorter and more rounded ; 

 usually rounded at the very narrow base ; thin but firm in texture, 

 dark green and lucid above, and at first more or less stellate pubes- 

 cent, especially on the midrib; much paler beneath, and clothed at 

 least at first with scattered short stellate pubescence, but often glab- 

 rate with age ; midrib slender with one pair of prominent lateral veins 

 at or above the middle; petiole short, 3-6 mm. long, slender, more or 

 less permanently stellate pubescent. The upper, sun leaves, resem- 

 bling those of white oak, thicker, and wdth thickened margin, pinnated 

 into 3-7 ascending entire lobes, rounded or cuneate base and much 

 longer petiole. Buds small, obtuse, dark chestnut, at first with the 

 outer scales stellate pubescent, at length nearly glabrous. Twigs very 

 slender, 2-3 mm. thick, grooved and covered when young with loose 

 brown or brownish-gray pubescence which is usually more or less 

 persistent until autunm. The fruit often in clusters of 2 or 3 is ses- 

 sile or sometimes on a stalk as long as the nut, 12-18 mm. long, in- 



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