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black oak are dull, and loosely imbricated near the top while those of the 

 scarlet oak are rather glossy and closely imbricated. The scales of the 

 scarlet oak, however, become somewhat loose after the acorn has 

 matured, and fallen for some time. 



This species is sometimes called yellow oak. Since the chinquapin 

 oak is also often called yellow oak, it is best to always call this species 

 black oak. 



15. Quercus coccinea Muenchhausen. SCARLET OAK. Plate 54. 

 Medium sized trees with bark resembling the black oak, inner bark 

 gray or reddish; twigs reddish by autumn; winter buds reddish-brown 

 and pubescent; leaves on petioles 2.5-6 cm. long, broadly oval to obo- 

 vate, blades 7-15 cm. long, truncate or wedge-shape at the base, the 

 blade divided into 5-7 lobes by deep and wide sinuses which cut the 

 blade more than half the distance to the midrib, sinuses rounded at the 

 base, the lobes variable in size and shape, usually the lowest are the 

 shortest and smallest, the middle lobes the largest and longest, the 

 lobes widest either at the base or the apex, the terminal part toothed 

 or lobed, the terminal lobe generally 3-lobed or 3-toothed, both surfaces 

 of the leaves at first pubescent, soon smooth and a dark glossy green 

 above, and paler and smooth beneath except tufts of hairs in the axils of 

 the principal veins; acorns sessile or nearly so, solitary or in pairs; nuts 

 ovoid to oblong, 1.5-2 cm. long, enclosed for about half their length in 

 the thick cup-shape cup; scales triangular but blunt, closely appressed, 

 pubescent on the back except the center which is generally elevated 

 and smooth and shiny, giving the cup a glossy appearance which easily 

 separates it from its nearest ally the black oak whose cup is a dull, ash 

 or reddish gray color; kernel white within, and less bitter than the black 

 oak. 



Distribution. Maine, southern Ontario to southern Nebraska, south 

 to North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas. It has been reported for the 

 northwest counties and the southern part of Indiana, but we have no 

 records for the east-central portion of the State. Clark reports it as 

 common about Winona Lake, but does not report Quercus velutina 

 which is a common tree of the vicinity, and it is believed that Clark 

 has confused the two species. In the northern part of the State its 

 habitat is that of sand and gravel ridges associated with black oak. 

 In the hill part of southern Indiana it is intimately associated with the 

 black oak on the poorer ridges. We have no authentic records for the 

 southwestern counties. The author has Schneck's specimens on which 

 the record for Gibson and Posey County was based. I determined the 

 specimens as belonging to the Spanish oak, and William Trelease 

 verified the determination. I have no doubt that scarlet oak occurred 

 on the sand ridges of that area. 



