QUERCUS 307 



Native of the Mediterranean region from Spain eastwards to Syria ; 

 cultivated in England in the seventeenth century. Of the dwarf evergreen 

 oaks, this is, perhaps, the most pleasing in the glitter of its foliage and neat 

 bushy habit. It is as prickly-leaved and well-armed as a small-leaved holly. 

 It is variable in its foliage. The form known as 



Var. PSEUDOCOCCIFERA, Boissier (Q. pseudococcifera, Labillardiere], is a 

 tree found in Asia Minor and Syria with larger, flatter leaves than the type, 

 and acorns I in. long. The famous oak of Mamre, known as "Abraham's 

 oak," is of this variety. According to Sir Joseph Hooker, it indicates the 

 spot where tradition says the patriarch pitched his tent. 



Quercus coccifera obtains its popular name of " Kermes oak " from being 

 the host plant on which the kermes insect (Chermes ilicis) breeds. This 

 insect, after certain treatment, produces a beautiful scarlet dye remarkable 

 for its richness and lasting quality, once much employed and known in 

 commerce as "grain" or "scarlet grain," but now, owing to cheaper 

 substitutes, fallen into disuse. Three sprigs of Quercus coccifera or " grain 

 tree " still form the crest of the Dyers' Company, whose arms were granted to 

 them between 1420 and 1450. From this one may gather how high was the 

 estimation in which "Kermes" was held in the Middle Ages; but so much 

 has this dye disappeared from modern use that until the matter was investi- 

 gated at Kew a few years ago, the Company itself did not know to what tree 

 the sprigs were supposed to belong. For an interesting account of this oak 

 in regard to its connection with the dye, and various allusions to it quoted 

 from Chaucer and Shakespeare, see Kew Bulletin, 1910, p. 167. 



Q. AUZANDRI, Gr enter, is a hybrid between Q. coccifera and Q. Ilex, 

 found wild in S. France, etc. Its leaves are felted beneath, and its acorns are 

 borne two or three together on a stalk up to I in. long. It used to be 

 cultivated in the Heatherside nursery, near Bagshot. 



The largest tree of Q. coccifera I have noted in this country is in the 

 Vicarage garden at Bitton about 20 ft. high. 



Q. COCCI NE A, Muenchhausen. SCARLET OAK. 



A deciduous tree up to 70 or 80 ft. high ; young shoots warted, not downy ; 

 winter buds downy towards the points. Leaves 3 to 6 ins. long, i\ to 4^ ins. 

 wide (in young trees as much as 6 ins. wide) ; obovate or oval, tapered alt the 

 base, deeply seven- sometimes nine-lobed, the lobes oblong or triangular, 

 coarsely and unequally toothed at the apex ; dark green above, paler beneath, 

 both sides lustrous and smooth Except that there are sometimes tufts of 

 brownish down in the vein-axils beneath ; stalk i^- to 2^- ins. long, smooth, 

 yellow. Acorns \ to I in. long, 'two-thirds as wide, one-third to one-half 

 enclosed in a deep, thin-edged cup. 



Native of Eastern N. America ; introduced about the end of the seven- 

 teenth century. The true scarlet oak retains its leaves until November or 

 December, and for the last six or eight weeks they are of a brilliant red, 

 and make one of the richest of autumnal effects. The tree frequently known 

 in gardens as " Q. americana splendens " represents the best form of 

 Q. coccinea in cultivation. Q. coccinea differs from Q. rubra in the leaves 

 being lustrous beneath, usually smaller, and with one pair less lobes ; also 

 in the acorn cup being hemispherical rather than saucer-shaped. (See also 

 Q. palustris.) 



Q. CONFERTA, Kitaibel. HUNGARIAN OAK. 



A deciduous tree of stately habit, up to 100 ft. high in a wild state ; young 

 shootr slightly downy, smooth and grey the second year. Leaves obovate, but 



