AMERICAN OAKS 41 



This again is a maritime oak found in little groups in the midst of the 

 barrens, where they reach to a height of 3 or 4 feet, with leaves one inch 

 long, deeply toothed at the margin. This latter is the Q. nana of Willdenow, 

 which Michaux has ascertained to be only a variety of Q. cinerea. This 

 is on the authority of the younger Michaux, but Pursh doubts it. 



Pursh places it in dry, barren soil and pine forests, Virginia to 

 Georgia ; very variable in size, sometimes 4 feet, at others 20 feet 

 high. 



This is useless as timber ; the bark produces a fine yellow like that of 

 the Black Oak. 



17. QUERCUS IMBRICARIA. Shingle Oak. 



Q. imbricaria. Foliis deciduis dblongis utrinque acutis mucronatis 

 integerrimis nitidis subtus pubescentibus, cupula scutellata, squamis lato- 

 ovatis, glande subglobosa. Pursh. 



Q. imbricaria, Michx. f. N. Am. Sylv. v. 1, p. 82, t. 15 ; Willd. Sp. PI. 

 v. 4, p. 428 ; Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. v. 2, p. 627. 



Q. imbricaria, Willd. Sp. PL 4, p. 428 ; Michx. f. Hist, Arb. Am. 2, p. 78, t. 13 ; 

 Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. no. 9, t. 15 and 16 ; Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 2, p. 627 ; Nutt. 

 Gen. 2, p. 214 ; Ait. Hort. Kew. ed. 2, 5, p. 288 ; Sm. in Rees' Encyc. 29, part 1st, 

 no. 15. 



This species seems to be quite an occidental one, principally abounding 

 to the westward of the Alleghany Mountains, growing on the banks of 

 rivers, where it is known by the names of the Jack Oak, Black Jack Oak, 

 and Laurel Oak ; the French call it chenes d lattes. 



The tree grows to a height of 40 or 50 feet, with a diameter of 12 to 15 

 inches. 1 The timber is heavy and hard, and although of very inferior 

 quality is nevertheless used by the French of the Illinois (for want of 

 better material perhaps) for making shingles. 



18. QUERCUS LAURIFOLIA. Laurel Oak, Swamp Willow Oak. 



Q. laurifolia. Foliis deciduis obovato-lanceolatis acutis basi attenuatis 

 integerrimis utrinque glabris, cupula scutellata, squamis lanceolatis, glande 

 subovata. Pursh. 



Q. laurifolia, Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. n. 10, t. 17 ; Willd. Sp. PI. v. 4, 

 p. 427 ; Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. v. 2, p. 627. 



Q. laurifolia, Willd. Sp. PI. 4, p. 427 ; Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. no. 10, t. 17 ; Ait. 

 Hort. Kew. ed. 2, 5, p. 288 ; Sm. in Rees' Encyc. 29, part 1st, no. 14 ; Pursh, Fl. Am. 

 Sept. 2, p. 627 ; Nutt. Gen. 2, p. 214. 



/8 Q. foliis apice obtusis, Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. t. 18 ; Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 2, 

 p. 627. 



This is spoken of by the elder Michaux as producing a valuable wood, 

 almost preferable to that of Q. virens. The younger Michaux does not 

 notice it, and Pursh suspects he considered it to be a variety of Q. 

 imbricaria. Nuttall says it is a very doubtful species. Pursh refers 

 to Michx. Hist. Chenes Am. t. 18, as his var. ft ' Q. foliis apice obtusis.' 

 It grows to about 50 or 60 feet high, 



1 Sargent says rarely exceeding 3 feet in diameter. Syl. N. Am. viii. 175. ED. 



