106 TlitBER TKEES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



The larger, crown-forining limbs are often broken, and the stent 

 is very frequently hollow or red-hearted. The trntik is apt to be 

 covjred with adventitious shoots. Even large trees send up 

 numerous sprouts from the stump. The growth is generally rapid. 



The leaves are generally deciduous, although, on the coast,, 

 many remain green during the winter, especially on vigorous 

 shoots. They are thick, smooth, narrowed at the base, and 

 rounded, or 3-lobed and I)ristle tipped at the extremity. The small 

 globular-ovoid acorn is ser in a very shallow cup. The winter- 

 buds are small and conical, upon slender flexible polished brown 

 twigs. The lateral sui)erlicial roots are large and well developed. 



The wood is heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, and compact; 

 rather light brown in color; the sapwood lighter. It is used only 

 as fuel. 



Quercus laurifolia, Michaux. 



(laurel oak. water oak. willow oak. i'In oak. 

 turkey oak.) 



A tree, with dark brown minutely roughened bark, and 

 smoother and lighter 1)ranchcs which tbrm an oval crown, reach- 

 ing a height of 100 and a diameter of -1 feet. 



It occurs from North Carolina southward near the coast to 

 Mosquito Inlet and Cape Romano, Florida, and along the Gulf 

 coast to Mobile l)ay ; reaching its he^t development on the Flor- 

 ida ('oast. A very common tree. 



In North Carolina, where it grows to a height of 60 to TU and 

 a diameter of :^ feet, it is found on sandy loam in the coastal |)lain 

 region on oak flats bordering swam])s, and in the Piedmont ]>lar- 

 eau usually on damp S(jils along streams. (Fig. 25, p. 10 1.) 



It bears fruit plentifully once in 8 or 4 years, and in the 

 coastal plain, in moist open woods, seedlings are abundant. 



The leaves are thick, smooth, and rounded at each end. The 

 small globose or sliglitly oval dark l)i'own acorns are set in some- 

 what pointed very short stemmed cups. The twigs are smooth, 

 slender, and dark brown, th^ buds pointed and lighter colored. 

 The numerous lateral roots generally do not penetrate very dee]dy 

 into the soil. 



