26 BiCKNELL : Ferns and flowering plants of Nantucket 



QUERCUS prinoides Willd. 



Common on the eastern side of the island in the same territory 

 as Qnerciis ilicifolia and often associated with it. Fruiting freely. 

 Staminate aments June 13. 



* Quercus prinoides rufescens Rehder. 



Met with at many points always in association with Quercus 

 prinoides and Quercns ilicifolia ; near Sankaty Head ; Tom Never's 

 Swamp; Plainfield ; between the fourth and sixth mile along the 

 railroad. 



While there seems to be nothing in the habit or aspect of this 

 oak to set it apart from typical Qtier cits prinoides it may always be 

 readily distinguished by reason of its puberulent branchlets and 

 the densely pubescent veins on the under surface of the leaves ; the 

 pubescence is also usually of a slightly fulvous tinge. Notwith- 

 standing this greater pubescence below of the mature leaves, the 

 unfolding leaves are commonly much less pubescent than are those 

 of typical Q. prinoides of corresponding age. In general the leaves 

 of rufescens are, as Mr. Rehder has pointed out, more obovate and 

 less gradually narrowed to the apex and perhaps, also, more 

 sharply undulate-lobed, but these differences, although often well- 

 defined, are not at all constant. 



On Long Island rifescens is common, as on Nantucket, inhabit- 

 ing tracts where Qtierctis prinoides and Qtiercns ilicifolia are com- 

 mon also. In September, 1908, the fruit was collected at two 

 places and presented well-defined differences from that of Quercus 

 prinoides obtained at the same time, being considerably larger with 

 a much deeper cup, more rounded below, and often covering more 

 than half the acorn ; the scales of the cup are also paler in color 

 and more densely tomentulose-felted as well as longer and more 

 narrowed to the apex, and form a perceptible erect fringe around 

 the margin. The acorns measured when dry 1 5 mm, long by i 2 

 mm. thick, the cups 12-15 ^^- ^^'id^ by 10 mm. deep; in Q, 

 prifioides collected with it the acorns were 10-12 mm. long by 9 

 -II mm. thick, the cups 10-12 mm. wide by 4-6 mm. deep. 

 The fruit of many of our oaks is, however, remarkably variable, 

 and it is yet to be ascertained whether the differences here described 

 are in any way constant. The actual status of this newly described 



