C. DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL: Quercus macrocarpa is a tree 

 with a growth form ranging from large, broad 



and stately growing to heights of 150 ft. to a 

 multi-trunked scrubby stature (Figure 3) . Its bark 

 is characteristically rough and deeply furrowed, 

 its lobed leaves are broadest above the middle, 

 usually with a deep indentation near the middle, 

 and the acorn cup has fringes and covers 1/3 to 1/2 

 of the acorn (from Gleason and Cronquist 1991, 

 Fernald 1970) . 



Bur oak is resistant to fire, surviving because of 

 its thick bark and formation of subsurface woody 

 burls from which multiple trunks may grow. 



2. TECHNICAL: Tree to 50 m. height with branchlets at 

 first pubescent and orange-tinged, later glabrate 

 and gray, sometimes with cork-wings; leaves at 

 first densely fine stellate pubescent, becoming 

 glabrate and lustrous-green above (Figure 2) and 

 gray or whitish and pubescent to glabrate beneath, 

 obovate-oblong to broadly oblong, in maturity 1-3 

 dm. long, cuneate to slightly rounded at base, ; the 

 basal third with 1-3 pairs of short trangular 

 lobes, these separated from the broader upper half 

 or two-thirds by a well developed sinus, the broad 

 terminal portion bluntly oblong or obate-lobulate, 

 a pair of sinuses near the middle usually deeper 

 than the others; winter buds pubescent; peduncles 

 short or obsolete, cup deep, 2-5 cm. across, thick 

 and woody, its upper scales tapering to fringe-like 

 tips (from Gleason and Cronquist 1991, Fernald 

 1950) . 



D. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 



1. RANGEWIDE: The range of Ouercus macrocarpa is 



centered in the eastern United States (Figure ) , 



extending from Quebec through Saskatchewan to Texas, 

 and from Maine to Montana (Great Plains Flora 

 Association 1977, Little 1971). It is among 

 the most widespread members of the genus in 

 North America. 



