B117 



(2 leaves) 

 OAKS 



Quer'cus spp. 



The well-known oak tree has figured prominently in history, verse, 

 and legend from Biblical times, and fragments of its history are 

 also recorded as rock fossils through the geological ages back to the 

 Cretaceous period. Qibercws is the classical Latin name of the oak 

 tree. This is a very large genus, consisting perhaps of about 500 

 species, the number varying considerably with the nomenclatural 

 concepts of the individual botanist. It includes trees and shrubs 

 and is almost wholly restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, occur- 

 ring chiefly in the temperate regions as well as in the tropical 

 mountains. 



The religious significance, symbolism, and mythological lore of the 

 oak would require a volume for adequate description. Herodotus, 

 the Greek historian, states that the first oracle was set up in a grove 

 of oak trees at Dodona, Greece; the oaks themselves were thought 

 to inspire the priestess. Some of the familiar Christmas customs 

 cluster around the oak. The festival of Baal (Yiaoul or Yule) was 

 held at Christmastime, and the Yule log, which was burned on that 

 occasion, was always of oak. The mistletoe, because of its close asso- 

 ciation with the oak, was also held in veneration, particularly at 

 that season of the year. The ancient Druids worshipped in oak 

 groves, and their name commemorates the tree (Greek drus, oak 

 tree). Tidestrom 1 has called attention to the fact that dair (or 

 datrrach), the letter D of the Irish (Gaelic) alphabet, is the oak 

 tree. Innumerable personal and place names commemorate the oak, 

 e. g., names with such prefixes as ac-, auch-, auck-, oak-, etc. ; and 

 names with such suffixes as -darrach, -darragh, -dare, -derry, etc. 



The oak genus is variable with intergradations between the species 

 not uncommon, and hence there are many forms and varieties, which 

 are difficult to distinguish. On a reasonably conservative basis of 

 nomenclature there are approximately 85 species of oak, including 

 well-recognized specific hybrids, occurring natively in the United 

 States. The acorn, a nut set in a scaly cup, is the outstanding char- 

 acter of the genus. Other distinguishing features include: The 

 male and female flowers are borne separately on the same tree 

 (monoecious), the former in drooping, unbranched catkins and the 

 latter solitary or usually a few in a cluster. The leaves are alternate, 

 simple (not compound), and variously lobed, toothed, or entire. 



The oaks are most commonly classified into two main groups: 

 (1) The white oaks, with usually light-colored bark, smooth-edged, 

 prickleless leaves, and annual acorns (maturing in 1 year), whose 

 nut shells are hairless on the inner surface; and (2) the black or 

 red oaks, usually having dark-colored bark and more persistent 

 leaves, whose veins frequently extend beyond the leaf margins as 

 short awns or teeth, as well as biennial acorns (maturing in 2 years), 

 whose nut shells are soft-hairy on the inner surface. Dr. William 



1 Tuiestroin, I. THE FLORAL ALPHABET OF THE CELTS. Torreya 23 : 41-49, illus. 1923. 



