Handbook of Trees of the Xortherx States and Canada. 181 



The Live Oak is the nidst iiinjcslic and im- 

 pressive Oak of tlic Allantic- status. Its hciglit, 

 rarely more tlian 50 or UO ft., is not as re- 

 markable as its great spread of branches. Its 

 massive trunk is sometimes U or 8 ft. in diame- 

 ter and usually divides near the ground into 

 a few great branches, which sometimes reacii 

 out horizontally from 50 to 75 ft. — a greater 

 distance than those of any other Americai' 

 tree. Visitors to the coast regions of the South 

 ern States are always impressed with tiiese greai 

 and beautiful trees. After contemplating them 

 one can hardly realize that the same specie- 

 is found (ill var. iniiiiiiui) on sandy barren- 

 near the cost of F'lorida as a shrub bearing 

 fruit when no more than 1 ft. in height. 



Our bark picture, while it shows nicely the 

 characteristic bark of the species, tells also 

 the story of a long struggle for existence, 

 which the tree had had with a gigantic Grape- 

 vine, and the final victory of the Oak. 



The wood of the Live Oak; of which a cubic 

 foot when absolutely dry weighs 59.21 lbs., 

 is so hard and diiRcult to work as not to be 

 extensively used now-a-days. though it was 

 once highly valued for ship-building before 

 iron was substituted for that purpose, and 

 Congress, in its early sessions, enacted laws 

 for perpetuating the supply. - 



Leaves evergreen, very thick and coriaceous, 

 obovate-oblanceolate to olilong, mostl.v rounded at 

 apex and wedge-shaped at base with entire revo- 

 lute margins (rarel.v spinose-dentate above the 

 middle), shining dark green above, whitish pubes- 

 cent beneath, falling with the appearance of new 

 leaves in the spring. Fruit with unusually long 

 peduncles l-o acorns to each peduncle ; acorns 

 small lustrous dark brown, ovoid to obovoid and 

 one-third covered liy tbe thin turbinate hoary- 

 tomentose cup willi suiall apiiressed scales : seed 

 sweet. 



1. Syn. Quercus vircns .\it. 



2. A. W., V, 117. 



