288 



The Oaks 



it thrives, thus quickly yielding a supply of fuel. It is supposed to hybridize readily, 

 as trees have been found in Lee county, Florida, that are considered crosses of 

 this species with the High ground willow oak, Quercus cinerea Michaux, and the 

 oak from BlufTton, South CaroHna, described under the name of Q. sinuata (Lam- 

 bert) Walter, is now considered a cross with the Laurel oak, Q. laurifolia Michaux. 

 This tree is also known as the Scrub oak. Black jack, Barrenscrub oak. Forked 

 leaf oak, and Forked leaf jack oak. 



6. BLACK OAK Quercus velutina Lamarck 

 Quercus tinctoria Michaux 



A tree of dr}' uplands from Maine to western Ontario, south to Florida and 

 Texas, reaching its greatest development of 50 meters tall, with a trunk diameter 

 of 1.5 m., in the central States, 



The branches are ascending or spreading, the tree oblong in outline. The 



bark is up to 4 cm. thick, rough and fissured 

 into rounded ridges and broken into thick 

 dark brown to nearly black close plates; on 

 younger stems it is smooth and dark brown; 

 internally it is deep orange-colored and tinges 

 the sahva yellow on chewing. The twigs are 

 stout and scurfy, becoming nearly smooth, red- 

 dish or reddish brown, ultimately dark brown. 

 The winter buds are ovoid, about 10 mm. long, 

 angular, narrowed upward to a blunt point 

 and woolly. The leaves are deep red and very 

 hairy when unfolding, becoming greenish white 

 at flowering time; they are oval to obovate in 

 outline, i to 3 dm. long; the 5 to 7, rarely 9, 

 lobes are broad, oblong to triangular, bristle- 

 pointed, usually bristle-toothed, the sinuses wide 

 and rounded, sometimes extending nearly to the midrib; the base is usually wedge- 

 shaped; they are thick, or almost leather}', dark green and shining, with a promi- 

 nent rounded midrib above, dull yellowish green or brownish with rusty hairs, or 

 sometimes smooth except for small tufts of bro\Mi hairs in the axils of the promi- 

 nent venation beneath, turning reddish yellow, or brown before falling late in 

 the autumn. The leaf-stalk is stout, flattened on the upper side, yellowish and 

 smooth, I to 6 cm. long. The flowers appear when the leaves are about one half 

 unfolded, the staminate in clusters of slender, woolly or hairy, many-flowered cat- 

 kins 10 to 15 cm. long, their calyx pale and hairy, its lobes ovate and sharp- 

 pointed; stamens 4, exserted; anthers ovate and sharp-pointed, yellow and hair}\ 

 The pistillate flowers are on short, woolly stalks, their involucral scales ovate; 

 calyx-lobes longer than the involucre, sharp-pointed, and hairy; styles long, re- 



FiG. 240. Black Oak. 



