FAGACEAE 



Shingle Oak 



Quercus imbricaria, Michx. 



HABIT. A tree 40-50 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 

 1-2 feet; forming a rather open, rounded crown of slender, 

 horizontal branches. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple, 4-6 inches long, 1-2 inches 

 broad ; oblong-lanceolate to oblong-obovate ; entire or somewhat 

 undulate; thin; very lustrous, dark green above, paler and pube- 

 scent beneath ; petioles stout, pubescent, y* inch long. 



FLOWERS. May, with the leaves; monoecious; the stam- 

 inate in slender, hoary-tomentose catkins 2-3 inches long; the 

 pistillate on slender, tomentose peduncles ; calyx 4-lobed, yellow, 

 downy; corolla o; stamens 4-5, with yellow anthers; stigmas 

 short, recurved, greenish yellow. 



FRUIT. Autumn of second season; acorns on stout 

 peduncles Y-Z inch long; cup cup-shaped, with red-brown, downy 

 scales, inclosing one-third to one-half of the nut; nut subglobose, 

 about y 2 inch long, dark brown, often striate; kernel very bitter. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud V 8 inch long, ovoid, acute, 

 lustrous, brown. 



BARK. Twigs lustrous, dark green, becoming brown; 

 thick on old trunks, light brown and slightly fissured. 



WOOD. Heavy, hard, coarse-grained, light red-brown,, with 

 thin, lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Of rare occurrence in Michigan. Re- 

 ported in Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Washtenaw Counties, 

 Lower Peninsula. 



HABITAT. Rich uplands; fertile river-bottoms. 



NOTES. Desirable for ornamental uses. Hardy. Rapid of 

 growth. 



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