36 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



93. QUERCUS TINCTORIA, BARTRAM.* 

 YELLOW OAK, YELLOW-BARK OAK, BLACK OAK, QUERCITROX OAK. 



Ger., Farmer Eiclie; Fr., Chene jaune; Sp., RoUe amarillo. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves oval or obovate in outline, 6-8 in. long, pinnately 

 lobed, abrupt or truncated at base, lobes broad, sparingly and irregularly cut-toothed 

 with the teeth conspicuously bristle-pointed, somewhat pubescent beueatb, petioles 

 quite long and slender ; leaf-buds large, pointed and densely pubescent. Flowers as 

 described for the genus ; with 4 to 6 stamens ; styles long and spreading, abortive 

 ovules near the top of the perfect seed. Fruit, an acorn maturing the second year, 

 sessile or nearly so, ovoid-oblong i to f in. in length and one-half to two thirds in- 

 vested in the deep top-shaped cup which is composed of loosely imbricated mem- 

 branous grayish pubescent scales ; interior lining of the acorn tornentose ; kernel 

 bitter. 



(The specific name is the Latin for pertaining to dyeing and alludes to the value of 

 the bark for dyeing purposes.) 



A large handsome Oak, sometimes considerably surpassing 100 ft. 

 (30 m.) in liigbt and 4 or 5 ft. (1.50 m.) in diameter of trunk, with 

 astringent dark-gray bark, furrowed longitudinally with firmly adherent 

 ridges. The inner bark is of a distinctly yellowish color. The foliage in 

 autumn turns to a purplish or orange color. 



HABITAT. Eastern United States generally east of the Mississippi 

 River, and in Texas, on dry uplands and hillsides. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood heavy, hard and strong, rather coarse- 

 grained and with comparatively thin medullary rays ; of a distinctly light 

 pinkish brown color and nearly white sap-wood. Specific Gravity, 0.7045; 

 Percentage of Ash, 0.28; Relative Approximate Fuel Value, 0.7025; Co- 

 efficient of Elasticity, 103427; Modulus of Rupture, 1041; Resistance to 

 Longitudinal Pressure, 501 ; Resistance to Indentation, 202 ; Weight of 

 a Cu~bic Foot in Pounds, 43.90. 



USES. The wood is used in cooperage, for interior finishing, furniture, 

 etc., and the bark largely for tanning purposes, and in producing a valu- 

 able yellow dye. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. The bark of this oak as with several other 

 species is astringent and tonic. A decoction is used advantageously as 

 a bath in cases where the stomach does not receive medicines kindly, etc.f 



* Given in Grays' Manual as variety tinctoria of the Scarlet Oak (Q. coccmea, Wang.) but the 

 eligibility of the Oak to the rank of species is now very generally accepted. 

 t U. S. Dispensatory, 16th ed., p. ia6L 



