ROCK CHESTNUT OAK. 



93 



to western Florida, westward through Alabama, Mississippi, and 

 Louisiana, to the valley of the Trinity river, Texas, and through 

 Arkansas and southeastern Missouri to middle Tennessee, south- 

 ern Indiana, and Illinois ; reaching its best development in the 

 valley of the Red river and adjacent portions of Arkansas and 

 Texas. It is rare in the Atlantic states. 



In i*s^orth Carolina it occurs on the oak iiats of the coastal plain,, 

 and. in the alluvial swamps of the rivers as far inland as Anson, 

 Orange, and Xash (bounties. (Fig. 20.) 



The overcup oak hears acorns plentifnlly at intervals of 3 or -i 

 years, but young seedlings are infrequent. The fruit is devoured 

 by swine, and the young plants are destroyed by browsing cattle. 



MAP OF 

 NORTH CAKOLINA 



LEGEND 

 Distribution of the OVERCUP OAK 

 ' (Quercus lyrata, IVa/i.) 



The leaves are oblong, crowded at the ends of the branchlets, 

 and 7 to 9-lobed, the divisions acute or blunt, entire or somewhat 

 toothed. The large subglobose acorn is nearly covered bv the 

 scaly, thin, rugged, fringed cup. The light chestnut-brown winter- 

 buds are small and egg-shaped. The overcup oak has a tap-root 

 and many rather deeply seated lateral roots. 



The wood is heavy, hard, strong, tougli, close-grained, and 

 inclined to check, and very durable in contact with the soil; rich 

 dark brown in color; the sapwood lighter. It is used for the same 

 purposes as that of the white oak. Very little of this timber has 

 ever been cut. 



Quercus prinus, Linnaeus. 



(rock chestnut oak. chestnut oak. buck oak.) 



A large tree, with deeply furrowed dark gray bark, and a 



