104 Trees with Simple Leaves. [A in 



The " oak-apples " or " galls" often found on oak-trees 

 are the work of "gall-flies" and their larvae. When green, 

 tiny worms will usually be found at their centre. Quaint 

 reference is made to these galls in Gerardes' " Herbal" : 



"Oak-apples being broken in sunder before they have 

 an hole thorough them do fore shewe the sequell of the 

 yeere. If they conteine in them a flie, then warre insueth ; 

 if a creeping worme, then scarcitie of victuals ; if a running 

 spider, then followeth great sickness or mortalitie." 



The oak, probably more than any other tree, has been 

 associated with worship of the gods. The " Talking 

 Tree " of the sanctuary in Dodona (the oldest of all the 

 Hellenic sanctuaries, and second in repute only to that at 

 Delphi) was an oak. Oak groves were favorite places 

 for altars and temples of Jupiter. The Druids worshipped 

 under the oak-trees. 



Fig. 54.— Post Oak, Iron Oak, Rough-leaved White Oak. 



Q. minor (Marsh), Sarg. Q. obtusilbba, Michx. 



Leaves, simple ; alternate ; edge lobed (edge of the 

 lobes entire, or sometimes hollowed more or less 

 deeply at the ends). 



Outline, usually broad, reverse egg-shape or oval. Base, 

 wedge-shape or round. Apex of lobes, rounded. 



Leaf, four to six inches lone ; rough above and below ; 

 thick and coarse. The lobes, five to seven and ex- 

 ceedingly variable in size and shape, radiating almost 

 at right angles from the middle rib ; sometimes broad 

 and squared, sometimes much narrowed toward their 

 base, with the spreading ends themselves lobed or 

 hollowed ; often irregularly and unequally placed. 



Bark of the trunk, resembling that of the white oak, but 

 rather darker. Inner bark white. 



