94:. QUERCUS PALU8TRI8 PlN OAK, SWAMP SPANISH OAK. 37 



94. QUERCUS PALUSTRIS, DU ROI. 

 Fix OAK, SWAMP SPANISH OAK, WATER OAK. 



Ger. , tiumpf-Eiclie ; Fr., Ghene marecageaux ; Sp.. RoUe pantonoso. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. Leaves oval or obovate in outline, pinuatifid with lobes 

 diverging nearly or quite at right .angles to the axis of the leaf, sparingly cut-toothed, 

 the teeth conspicuously hristle pointed, the sinuses deep, broad and rounded, with 

 long slender petioles, truncate or nearly so at the base, smooth shining green above, 

 lighter and downy-tufted in the axils of the veins beneath Flowers as described for 

 the genus, with stamens mostly 4 to 6; style long and spreading, and abortive ovules 

 near the top of the perfect seed. Fruit, acorns maturing the second year, globular 

 or depressed, small, about \ in. or less in length, and slightly invested in the very 

 shallow saucer-shaped or slightly pear-shaped involucral cup which is composed of 

 smoothish thin membranous and appressed scales, and sessile or very short-pedun- 

 culate. 



(The specific name, palustris, is the Latin for swampy, in allusion to the soil in 

 which the tree flourishes best.) 



One of our handsomest oaks, not infrequently 80 ft. (26 m.) in height 

 and with trunk 3 or 4 ft. (1 m.) in diameter, and, exceptionally, con- 

 siderably surpassing these dimensions. It develops a full oval or rounded 

 top of many branches, the lowest of which bend down toward the earth 

 in a peculiarly noticable and characteristic manner. The bark of the 

 trunk is of a dark gray color, quite thin and easily distinguished from 

 most of the oaks by its smoothness. It checks with age into very firm 

 and shallow longitudinal ridges, on some of which the cuticle of the 

 young bark persists for a long time. 



HABITAT. From Massachusetts southward to Maryland and westward 

 to Minnesota and Kansas, growing in moist soil along rich bottom-lands 

 the borders of streams and swamps. 



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

 grained, with medullary rays small and thin as compared with other 

 oaks; of a variegated light-brown color and nearly white sap-wood. 

 Specific Gravity, 0.6938; Percentage of As7i, 9.8t ; Relative Approximate 

 Fuel Value, 0.6882; Coefficient of Elasticity, 112296; Modulus of Rup- 

 ture, 1090; Resistance to Longitudinal Pressure, 491; Resistance to In- 

 dentation, 190; Weight of a Cubic foot in Pounds, 43.24. 



USES. Wood used in cooperage, furniture, interior finishing, etc., 

 and for fuel. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. This species is not mentioned as possessing 

 any medicinal property, though the astringency of its bark would doubt- 

 less give it some value as with other oaks. 



ORDER BETULACEAE.* 



Leaves simple, alternate, straight-veined and furnished with stipules which fall 

 away early. Flowers mostly naked, monoecious, both kinds in catkins, 2 or 3 to- 



* In Gray's Manual, 6th ed., the order Betulaceae is incorporated in the order Cupuliferae, as 

 tribe Betuleae. 



