FAGACEAE 



Willow Oak 

 Quercus phellos L. 



HABIT. A medium-sized tree 70-100 feet high and 2-4 feet 

 in diameter (max. 130 by 7 feet); dense, rounded crown. 



LEAVES. Deciduous; typically linear-lanceolate to ovate- 

 lanceolate; 2-5 inches long; entire or wavy; acute with bristle 

 tip; bright green above, paler and glabrous to hairy below. 



FRUIT. Maturing in 2 years; sessile or nearly so; acorn not 

 over Yz inch long, green-brown to yellow-brown, hemispheri- 

 cal; enclosed at base by shallow cup with thin, hairy, red-brown 

 scales; inner surface of nut shell woolly; kernel bitter. 



TWIGS. Slender; red-brown; glabrous. Winter buds: Yq 

 inch long, sharp-pointed, chestnut-brown. 



BARK. Rather thick, nearly black, and broken by deep 

 furrows into rough ridges on old trunks; smooth and red-gray 

 when young. 



WOOD. Important; similar to Q. borealis. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Similar to Q. velutina; wet 

 sites, commonly planted as ornamental. 



* * * 



Water Oak 

 Quercus nigra L. 



HABIT, A medium-sized tree 50-70 feet high and 2-3 feet 

 in diameter (max. 125 by 6 feet); rounded, even crown. 



LEAVES. Deciduous, though tardily so, as many remain 

 green until later winter; extremely variable in shape, size, and 

 margin; commonly spatulate, but also obovate to narrow- 

 oblong; margin entire to shallowly 3-lobed at apex to deeply 

 5-7 lobed; 2-6 inches long; dull blue-green above, paler below; 

 mostly glabrous. 



FRUIT. Maturing in 2 years; sessile or nearly so; acorn Vs- 

 % inch long, nearly black, subglobose; enclosed at base by 

 shallow cup with thin, woolly scales; inner surface or nut shell 

 woolly; kernel bitter, bright orange. 



TWIGS. Slender; red-brown; glabrous. Winter buds: H-H 

 inch long, angled, sharp, with loose, red-brown scales. 



BARK. Rather thin, gray-black, and broken by shallow 

 furrows into wide, scaly ridges; smooth when young. 



WOOD. Important; similar to Q. borealis. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Similar to Q. velutina; moist 

 to wet sites; reproduces aggressively; common ornamental. 



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