﻿Trees of New York State ■ 187 



FAGACEAE 



Querciis rubra L. 



Red Oak 



Habit — Oue of the largest of the oaks, usually 50-80 feet in height -with a 

 trunk diameter of 2— i feet, occasionally under exceptional conditions 150 

 feet tall. In the open the trunk is short and massive, soon breaking up 

 into stout limbs to form a broad symmetrical cro\\Ti. In dense stands 

 the bole continues into the narrow, round-topped head. 



Leaves — Alternate, oblong to oval-obovate, .5-9 inches long, 4—6 inches wide, 

 acute at the apex, cimeate or rounded at the base, 7-11 lobed, the lobes 

 usually sinuatelj- 3-toothed and bristle-tipped and separated by ■wide, 

 rounded, oblique sinuses which extend about half way to the midrib. At 

 maturity the leaves are thin, firm, glabrous, dull dark green above, paler 

 and glabrous or puberulous below. Petioles stout, 1-2 inches long. 



Flowers — In New York State appearing in late May or early June when the 

 leaves are about half groA\'n, monoecious. Staminate flowers pedunculate 

 in interrupted, filiform, pendulous, hairy aments 4-5 inches long Avhich 

 are borne on the growth of the preceding season or fi-om the axils of 

 the inner scales of the terminal bud. Calyx campanulate, green, pubes- 

 cent, deeply cut into 4^5 narrow, ovate lobes. Stamens 4-5, mth large, 

 oblong emarginate, yellow anthers. Pistillate flowers in groups of 2-3 

 (occasionally solitary), pedunculate, borne in the axils of the leaves of 

 the season, each subtended by the broadly ovate, hairy, involucral scales. 

 Calyx adnate to the ovary, with lanceolate acute lobes. Pistil consisting 

 of a 3-celled (rarely 4-5-celled) ovary surmounted by 3 elongated, spread- 

 ing, strap-shaped green styles stigmatie on the inner surface. 



Fruit — An acorn, borne solitary or in pairs, sessile or on a short, stout 

 peduncle, ripening the second season. Nut oblong-ovoid, chestnut-bro\\-n 

 and lustrous at maturity, round-pointed at the apex, %-li/4 inches long,- 

 enclosed for about one-fourth of the length in the cup. Cup saucer-shaped, 

 thick, reddish brown and pubescent within, reddish bro^\^l, lustrous and 

 puberulous without. 



Winter characters — T^\'igs slender, pale-lenticellate, smooth, dark red, at 

 length reddish or greenish brown. Buds alternate, those near the branch- 

 tip clustered about the terminal bud, ovate, acute, light chestnut-brown, 

 about 14 of an inch long. Mature bark dark brown, thick, divided by shal- 

 low fissures into regular, continuous, flat-topped ridges scaly at the 

 surface. 



Habitat — Eequires a well-drained site, thriving best on gravelly or sandy 

 loams but not exacting as to soil requirements. 



Range — Nova Scotia to Minnesota and Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. 

 Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — "Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, pale reddish brown with 

 paler sapwood. Used for construction, furniture, interior finish, railroad 

 ties and timbers, but' less durable and inferior to that of the white oaks. 

 The most rapidly growing species of oak, recommended over others in 

 silvieultural practice. 



