FAGACEAE 



Live Oak 



Quercus virginiana Mill. 



HABIT. A medium-sized tree 40-50 feet high and 3-4 feet 

 in diameter (max. 80 by 1 1 Vz feet) ; trunk usually dividing 

 near the ground into several large, horizontal limbs; crown 

 dense and rounded with a span of 100-150 feet (max. 168 feet). 



LEAVES. Persistent until new leaves appear; elliptical to 

 oblong-obovate; 2-5 inches long; entire and wavy margin 

 (rarely with few teeth); rounded tip; dark green above, paler 

 and somewhat hairy below. 



FRUIT. Maturing in one year; on stalks 1-5 inches long; 

 acorn %-l inch long, dark brown, ellipsoidal; enclosed for 

 Vi-Vl its length in bowl-shaped cup with thin, red-brown, 

 woolly scales; inner surface of nut shell glabrous; kernel sweet. 



TWIGS. Slender; gray-brown; hairy. Winter buds: He inch 

 long. 



BARK. Rather thick; dark red-brown; shallowly furrowed 

 with flat, scaly ridges. 



WOOD. The only important live oak; diffuse porous; very 

 heavy, hard, and strong; durable; used for ships, posts, etc. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Intolerant; typical of dry sites; 

 long-lived; 3 varieties reach tree size. 



Mexican Blue Oak 

 Quercus oblongifolia Torr, 



HABIT. A shrub or small tree rarely 30 feet high and 18- 

 30 inches in diameter; handsome, rounded crown. 



LEAVES. Persistent until new leaves appear; ovate to ellip- 

 tic; 1-2 inches long; entire or wavy with revolute margins 

 (rarely coarsely toothed); blue-green above, paler and glab- 

 rous below. 



FRUIT. Maturing in one year; sessile or rarely stalked; 

 acorn ^2"% inch long, chestnut-brown, ovoid to obovoid; 

 enclosed for Vz length in bowl-like cup with thin, red-tipped, 

 woolly scales; inner surface of nut shell glabrous; kernel sweet. 



TWIGS. Slender; red-gray. Winter buds: M^-Vq inch long, 

 brown. 



BARK. Thick; ash-gray; fcroken into nearly square, plate- 

 like scales on old trunks. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Intolerant; on dry foothills. 



[207] 



