QUERCUS 267 



slender, flowers scattered, about 2.5 mm. in diameter; pistillate flowers 

 in few-flowered long peduncled clusters; acorns ripening the first season, 

 solitary, paired, or in clusters of three, borne on slender peduncles, 3-7 

 cm. long, acorn 20-30 mm. long, 15-20 mm. wide, light brown, slightly 

 downy above, cup cup-shaped, one-third to one-half as long as the acorn, 

 pubescent, its lower scales thickened, upper ones loose and some of them 

 often with thread-like tips forming a fringe about the acorn, but never 

 so prominently as in bur oak : b i c o 1 r, two colored, referring to thq 

 dark green and white of the leaves. 



Moist soil, Maine to Minnesota, Georgia and Arkansas. In Minne- 

 sota it is common in the river bottoms of the extreme southeastern corner 

 of the state and occurs, though rarely, as far north as St. Paul. Reports 

 of this species from north of the Twin Cities are probably erroneous. 



Wood light brown, hard, strong and tough, durable, weight 47.5 lbs., 

 with the same uses and properties as white oak and bur oak, this wood 

 is not distinguished from them commercially. 



Quercus prinoides W i 1 1 d e n o w 1801 Chinquapin Oak 



Shrub or small tree 2-5 m. (6-16 ft.) high, up to 1 dm. in diameter; 

 bark light brown, scaly; buds rounded, slightly hairy, 2-3 mm. long; 

 leaves lanceolate, broadest above the middle, sharply and coarsely toothed, 

 tip acuminate, base wedge-shaped, upper side light green and glossy, with 

 a few scattered stellate hairs, lower side pale, densely hairy, 4-12 cm. 

 long, 2-5 cm. wide, petioles 5 mm.-2 cm. long; staminate catkins about 

 4 cm. long, pistillate flowers sessile or short peduncled; acorns ripening 

 the first season, sessile or borne on peduncles about 1 cm. long, elliptical, 

 1.5-2 cm. long, 1-1.5 cm. wide, light brown, downy towards the top, cups 

 pubescent, about one-third as long as the acorn, the basal scales thickened 

 and prominent ; prinoides, prinos, referring to the chestnut leaved 

 oak, Quercus prinos, and ides, like. 



Dry limestone ridges, Maine to Nebraska, North Carolina and Texas. 

 In Minnesota it is known to occur only on bluffs in the extreme south- 

 east corner of the state. Specimens in the herbarium of the University 

 have leaves somewhat intermediate in character between this species and 

 Quercus Muhlenbergii Engelmann (Q. a c u m i n a t a S a r - 

 gent) with 8-10 teeth on each side of the leaf, the lower side of the 

 leaves silvery white, the unripe acorns with peduncles about 1 cm. long. 

 Reports of the presence of Quercus Muhlenbergii in the state 

 appear to be based on this form. More study is needed of the western 

 forms of this species. 



