THE OAK AND CHESTNUT 



135 



an entirely different floral assemblage without any traces of oaks, 

 which, furthermore would be entirely out of place in such an 

 assemblage. 



In our latitudes the oaks are almost entirely trees which, as a 

 rule, grow slowly and are long hved and agressive trees. Naturally 

 among a multitude of forms there is a great diversity of individual 

 adaptations. Thus our white oak, Quercus alba, is especially 



Fig. 28. Sketch Map Showing Existing Distribution of the Beeches, 

 Fagus and Nothofagus, and or Castanopsis 



sensitive to excess suppHes of ground water, whereas the swamp 

 white oak, Quercus lyrata, the willow oak, Quercus pkellos, and the 

 various water oaks are extremely tolerant of water and often live 

 in swamps and similar environments where the surface may be 

 flooded for part of the year, and where it is always very wet. 



The oaks are mostly massive trees with straight trunks, furrowed 

 bark, and large powerful branches. Some, like the white oaks, 



