1238 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



resemblance probably to Q. Cerris, is an abundant tree on dry sterile hills in the 

 south Atlantic and Gulf states, extending as far westward as the Bragos river, 

 Texas, and ascending the Mississippi basin, through Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, 

 and Kentucky to southern Indiana and Illinois. It is rare in the north Atlantic 

 states, where it is only met with near the coast, reaching its most northerly point 

 in southern New Jersey. It is one of the trees which grows, but not in great 

 abundance, in the southern maritime pine belt. 



This species was introduced in 1763 by Mr. Murdoch Murchison, and re- 

 introduced in 1800 by Messrs. Fraser. It is extremely rare in cultivation, the only 

 trees which we have seen being two in Kew Gardens, about 25 feet high, which are 

 vigorous and healthy ; and a small specimen at Aldenham. (A. H.) 



QUERCUS ILICIFOLIA, Bear Oak 



Quercus ilicifolia, Wangenheim, Nordam. Holzart. 70, t. 6, f. 17 (1787); Loudon, Arb. et Frut, 



Brit. iii. 1893 (1838); Sargent, in Bot. Gaz. xliv. 227 (1907). 

 Quercus Banisteri, Michaux, Hist. Chenes Am. No. 15, t. 27 (1801). 

 Quercus rubra nana, Marshall, Arbust. Am. 123 (1785). 

 Quercus nana, Sargent, in Garden and Forest, viii. 93 (1895), Silva N. Amer. viii. 155, t. 424 (1895), 



and Trees N. Amer. 241 (1905). 



A shrub or small tree, scarcely exceeding 20 ft. in height. Bark thin and 

 scaly. Young branchlets covered with a minute dense pubescence, glabrous in the 

 second year. Buds minute, ovoid, obtuse, glabrous, \ in. long. Leaves (Plate 334, 

 Fig. 13) deciduous, about 3 in. long and 2 in. wide, coriaceous, obovate-oblong, 

 cuneate at the base ; divided by wide shallow sinuses into five short broad bristle- 

 pointed acute lobes, the terminal lobe usually largest and often with one or two 

 teeth ; upper surface dark green, shining, with quickly deciduous minute stellate 

 pubescence ; lower surface greyish tomentose ; petiole slender, \ in. long, 

 tomentose. 



Fruit ripening in the second year, sessile or stalked ; acorn ovoid, about \ in. 

 wide and long ; cupule thick, turbinate, covered with closely appressed, thin, slightly 

 pubescent scales, the minute free tips of the upper rank forming a fringe. 



This species grows on dry sandy barren ground and on rocky hill-sides from 

 Maine to eastern Pennsylvania, and along the Alleghany mountains to southern 

 Virginia. 



This oak was discovered in Virginia by the missionary John Banister, and was 

 included in his catalogue of Virginian plants published by Ray 1 in 1688. It was 

 introduced in 1800 by Messrs. Fraser, and is a thriving shrub at Tortworth, where 

 it produces acorns freely ; and is possibly of some value on that account for planting 

 in game coverts as food for pheasants. There are specimens also at Kew, Weston- 

 birt, and Liphook. At Les Barres in France it grows vigorously, and sows itself, 

 being looked upon as good pheasant covert. (A. H.) 



1 Ray, Hist. Plant, ii. pp. 1926-8. It was called Q. pumila by Banister. 



