32 



BOTANY. 



the west. We did not find this oak north of the Sacramento valley, and its range is probably 

 rather south than north of San Francisco. On the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada bordering 

 the Sacramento valley it forms a low but handsome tree. Of the character and value of the 

 wood I had no opportunity of judging. 



The figure given is copied from a drawing made by Dr. Kellogg, of San Francisco, and 

 represents the variety of foliage which most resembles that of the chestnut. An equally 

 common form has nearly entire leaves, of smaller size, approaching more closely those of the 

 chinquapin. 



Quercus agrifolia, Nee. The evergreen oak. 

 Q. agrifolia, Nee. Ann. 8c. Nat. 3, p. 271. 

 Q. agrifolia, Nutt. Sylva. l,p. 5, t. 2. 

 Q. oxyadenia, Torr. in Sitcjreaves' Rep., t. 172. 



Fig. 9. A branch of Q. agrifolia, with leaves and fruit, half natural size. 



Description. — A low spreading tree ; leaves evergreen, ovate or rounded, remotely spinosely, 

 dentate or entire, smooth above and below ; acorn elongated, conical, acute ; cup hemispheric 

 or conical ; scales small, appressed, oblong, obtuse, smooth. 



This tree is everywhere known in California as the "scrub," or evergreen oak, although 

 there are several others which are more shrub-like, and of which the leaves are persistent. It 

 usually forms a low spreading tree, which resembles in size and form the apple tree of the 

 orchards of the eastern States, the trunk being rarely more than a foot in diameter, or the alti- 

 tude more than 30-40 feet. I noticed much diversity in the form of the leaves, as they were 

 sometimes, nearly orbicular, and at others much elongated, and both toothed and entire. The 

 leaves of the same tree, also, frequently exhibit considerable variety of form ; they are always 

 small, however, and have smooth surfaces above and below. 



