Handbook of Treks of the JSTortiiern States and Canada. 159 



This curious Oak in foipsts occasionally at- 

 t.iiiKs tlic iiei-ilit of 70 or 80 ft., and wlion 

 isolated from otlicr trees develops aii ovoid or 

 rounded quite syuiuieti ical top with many slen- 

 der branches. The trunks are sumetimes ;5 or 

 4 ft. in thickness, cuhnnnar and vestcil in a 

 smoothisli bark, .somewliat roughened om old 

 trunks by shallow lon-itudinal ridyes. It in- 

 habits the inarjiins of swamps and sti'eams and 

 sandy uplands mo^t abundantly in the soutii- 

 ern states (t]iou,i;h not in the immediate vicin- 

 ity of the coast) and in the lower .d ississi])pi 

 basin. It is a handsome tree and especially 

 curious to those whose familiarity with the 

 oaks is limited to the broad-leaved species of 

 the northern states. This tree to them seems 

 to have the leaves of a willow and the acorns 

 of an oak — a feature which gives it its com- 

 mon name. 



Its wood is used to snnio extent for lumber 



and shingles, but mainly for fu(d and eliareo:il. 



A cu. ft. when absolutel}' dry wei^i,'hs 40.57 lbs.' 



I.rnvrx oblong lanceolate 2i/2-''> '«• Ions;, acute at 

 both ends with very short petiole and usually 

 hn'stle-tipped, entire or with slis;htly undulatf> 

 and revoliite margins: revolute in the bud and 

 liiibt green and pubescent when they unfold but 

 finally lustrous light green, paler and usually 

 c'abrous with pubescpnt midribs beneath, h'loircrs: 

 staminate calyx yellow, pubescent. 4-r)-lobed : pis- 

 tillate with short glabrous peduncles and slendpr 

 recurved stigmas. Fruit sessile or with sho-t 

 stalks, usually solitary, with subglobose or hemis- 

 pherical pale-pubescent nut and thin flat saucer 

 shaped cup enveloping only its base and covered 

 with small thin closely imbricated scales. 



1. A. W., XI. 271. 



