318 QUERCUS 



described, this oak resembles Q. Libani, but it is really a much stiffer tree, 

 the leaves are shorter and greyer green, and both they and the acorns are 

 much shorter stalked. 



Q. MACRANTHERA, Fischer. 



A deciduous tree up to 60 ft. high, with very stout young shoots and leaf- 

 stalks covered with a thick, soft, greyish down that becomes dark, and 

 persists through the second season ; buds clothed with slender, hairy scales 

 | in. long. Leaves broadly obovate, tapered at the base, the margin con- 

 spicuously cut into seven to eleven rounded lobes down either side, each lobe 

 \ to i in. deep, sometimes with one to three teeth on its lower side. The 

 fargest leaves are 6 ins. long and 4 ins. wide, the smallest half as large ; green, 

 with minute hairs above ; pale beneath, and clothed with soft down ; stalk 

 \ to in. long. Acorns scarcely stalked, about I in. long, the lower half 

 enclosed by a cup which is covered outside with erect, lanceolate, downy 

 scales. 



Native of the Caucasus and Persia; introduced about 1895. This is 

 decidedly one of the most striking oaks with large leaves, equalling conferta 

 and Mirbeckii in that respect, but distinct from them in the densely downy 

 shoots and under-surface of the leaves. It is quite hardy, and young trees 

 have already been raised from acorns of introduced trees. 



Q. MACROCARPA, Michaux. BURR OAK. 



A deciduous tree, not more than 50 ft. high in this country, but 80 to 170 ft. 

 high in nature ; bark scaling ; young shoots and buds downy. Leaves 

 obovate, 4 to 10 ins. (sometimes i ft.) long, about half as wide, wedge-shaped 

 at the base, five- or seven-lobed, the terminal lobe often large (consisting of 

 about half the leaf), ovate, and itself wavy-lobed ; the lower lobes often reach 

 almost to the midrib ; dark green, smooth and glossy above, covered beneath 

 with a pale, dull, minute felt ; stalk up to i^ ins. long, downy. Acorn f in. 

 or so long, usually solitary, about' half enclosed in a cup distinguished by 

 having the scales near the rim almost thread-like and forming a fringe, on 

 account of which this tree is often known as the "mossy-cup oak." 



Native of Eastern N. America ; introduced in 1811. It is very similar to 

 bicolor, but is distinguished by the more deeply lobed leaves, and especially 

 by the acorn cup. Like all the white oaks of America, it is not very happy in 

 our climate, but there are a few healthy small trees up to 40 ft. high at Kew 

 and elsewhere. 



Q. LYR/TA, Walter. Overcup Oak. This is sometimes though rarely 

 seen in gardens, and is not suited to our climate. It is allied to Q. macrocarpa, 

 but its acorn is distinguished by being almost or entirely enclosed in the cup. 

 The leaves are obovate, deeply five- to nine-lobed, the largest 7 to 9 ins. long, 

 nearly half as wide, dark green and smooth above, pale and downy beneath j 

 stalk up to f in. long. Native of the southern United States, where it is 

 occasionally 100 ft. high ; introduced in 1786. 



Q. MARYLANDICA, Muenchhausen. BLACK JACK OAK. 



(Q. nigra, Wangenheim.') 



A deciduous tree, 20 to 40 ft. high, forming a low, spreading head of 

 rugged branches ; young shoots covered with scurfy stellate down, becoming 

 shining grey the second year. Leaves broadly obovate, tapered to a narrow, 

 rounded or wedge-shaped base ; broad and three-lobed at the apex ; the 



