QUERCUS 257 



Quercus Linne 1753 Oak 

 (L. quercus the oak-tree) 



Trees or sometimes shrubs ; leaves deciduous, withering persistent, or, 

 in some species of warm climates, evergreen, alternate, 5-ranked, simple, 

 pinnately veined, variously shaped, often lobed, furnished with small 



Staminate and pistillate flowers of Quercus macrocarpa 



deciduous stipules; buds covered with numerous scales; flowers monoecious, 

 apetalous, in all our species appearing with the leaves in spring, the 

 staminate in catkins clustered from scaly buds of the past year's growth 

 and also from the lower nodes of the new growth, sepals 4-7, petals 0, 

 stamens 4-12, pistil 0, the pistillate solitary or in small clusters in the 

 axils of the leaves of the new growth, sepals 6, united, petals 0, stamens 0, 

 pistil 3-parted, ovary inferior, nearly 3-celled, ovules usually 6, stigmas 3 ; 

 each pistillate flower surrounded by a cup-like involucre of many small 

 concrescent scales, fruit (acorn) a nut surrounded at the base by a cup- 

 like involucre; seed solitary, without endosperm, the large embryo with 



