DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 5 
of 3-12 stamens enclosed by a 4~-8-parted perianth, often 
containing an abortive ovary. Pistillate flowers solitary or 
in small clusters, each consisting of a 3-celled ovary with 
2 ovules in each cell, though rarely more than 1 ovule 
matures ; styles short, erect, or recurved. Pistillate flowers 
surrounded by a scaly involucre which at maturity becomes 
a cup enclosing the base of the fruit or sometimes a large 
part of it. Fruit an ovoid or subglobose, 1-seeded, thin- 
shelled nut (acorn). 
A. Fruit biennial; leaves entire or with bristle-pointed 
lobes.* 
1. Q. rubra,L. RepDOaAxk. Alarge tree. Leaves oval or obovate, 
green above, pale and slightly downy beneath, sinuses shallow and 
rounded, lobes 8-12, taper-pointed ; petioles long. Cup saucer-shaped, 
with fine scales ; acorn ovate or oblong, about 1 in. long. Common; 
wood not valuable ; leaves turning red after frost and often remain- 
ing on the tree through the winter.* 
2. Q. coccinea, var. tinctoria, Gray. Buack Oax. A large tree 
with rough, dark brown outer bark and thick, bright yellow inner 
bark; leaves broadly oval, usually cut more than halfway to the 
midrib, sinuses rounded ; lobes about 7, sharply toothed at the apex, 
smooth above, usually downy on the veins beneath ; cup hemispher- 
ical or top-shaped, with coarse scales, short-peduncled, enclosing about 
half the roundish acorn. Common; wood not valuable, but the 
mner bark used for tanning and dyeing.* 
3. Q. falcata, Michx. SpanisH Oax. A small or medium-sized 
tree with leaves 3-5-lobed at the apex, obtuse or rounded at the 
base, grayish-downy beneath, lobes lanceolate and often scythe- 
shaped, sparingly cut-toothed. Cup top-shaped, with coarse scales, 
enclosing about half the nearly round acorn. Common in dry 
woods. Foliage quite variable in outline and lobing; bark valu- 
able for tanning.* 
4. Q. nigra, L. Briacx-sack Oax. A small tree; leaves obovate, 
usually with three rounded lobes at the apex, the lobes bristle-pointed, 
rounded, or slightly cordate at the base, rusty-pubescent beneath, 
shining above, coriaceous, short-petioled; cup top-shaped, short- 
peduncled, with coarse and truncate scales, enclosing about one- 
third of the oblong-ovate acorn. An almost worthless tree, its 
presence indicating a thin and sterile soil.* 
5. Q. Phellos, L. Wuittow Oax. A tree of medium size, leaves 
lanceolate or elliptical, scurfy when young and becoming smooth 
with age; very short-petioled ; cup shallow, sessile ; acorn subglobose. 
Wet soil ; often planted for shade.* 
