446 NEW ENGLAND TREES IN WINTER. 



RED OAK 



Quercus rubra L. 



HABIT The largest of our New England oaks, 50-85 ft. high, reach- 

 ing an exceptional height of 150 ft.; with trunk diameter of 2-6 ft.; 

 trunk branching rather higher up than in the White Oak, often continu- 

 ous into the top of the tree with ascending branches forming a rather 

 narrow, round-topped head or spreading more widely as shown in the 

 specimen photographed becoming even broader than high. The limbs 

 in the main are not so horizontal or declined nor so crooked as in the 

 White Oak and the tree in consequence offers a less gnarled aspect. 



BARK On young trees and upper parts of older trees smooth, gray- 

 brown; on trunks of mature trees and on their thicker limbs up to 4 cm. 

 thick, tardily broken by shallow furrows into dark brown, rather 

 regular, elongated, firm, coarse, flat-topped ridges. The flat ridges 

 which are characteristic of the species are often in older trees roughened 

 up toward the base of the trunk so that the distinctive character of 

 the bark must be sought higher up on the trunk or on the larger 

 limbs. Inner bark, light reddish, not bitter. 



TWIGS Mediumly stout to slender, reddish to greenish-brown. 

 LENTICELS pale, often inconspicuous. LEAVES obovate to oblong, 

 with bristle-pointed lobes, often difficult to distinguish from those of 

 Black Oak. PITH 5-pointed, star-shaped. 



BUDS Oval to ovate, 4-8 mm. long, with widest part typically 

 */4 to % above base suggesting appearance of a short stalk to the bud; 

 sharp pointed with more or less distinct development of rusty hairs at 

 the extreme apex, otherwise smooth or sometimes slightly pale-woolly 

 on upper half. BUD-SCALES numerous, light chestnut brown seen 

 to be longitudinally striate with darker lines when viewed toward 

 light with a hand-lens, margins slightly hairy. 



FRUIT Maturing in autumn of second season, singly or in pairs, 

 sessile or on a short, thick stalk. NUT ovate to cylindrical with broad 

 base and narrowed, rounded apex, dark chestnut brown, large, 2-3 cm. 

 long. CUP flat, shallow, thick, saucer-shaped (rarely somewhat 

 top-shaped), rim somewhat constricted, enclosing about % of the nut, 

 2. -3. 5 cm. across. Scales thin, reddish-brown, shining, not at all or 

 but slightly hairy, closely overlapping. Meat pale yellow, slightly 

 bitter. Immature acorns generally divergent or but slightly appressed, 

 with basal scales reaching about half way up, giving appearance of 3 

 rows of scales. 



COMPARISONS If the acorns are obtainable the Red Oak is not 

 to be confused with any of our other species, the large flat cup being 

 distinctive. The flat flutings of the bark and the fat, basally con- 

 stricted, sharp-pointed buds are further characteristic. See Black 

 Oak for comparison with Red and Black and Scarlet Oak, and Chestnut 

 Oak for comparison with latter species. 



DISTRIBUTION Woods, widely adapted to various conditions of soil 

 and situation except distinctly wet lands, ranges further north than 

 our other Oaks and is most planted of the American Oaks in Europe. 

 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to divide west of Lake Superior; south 

 to Tennessee, Virginia, and along mountain ranges to Georgia; reported 

 from Florida; west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas. 



IN NEW ENGLAND Maine common, at least south of the central 

 portions; New Hampshire extending into Coos County, far north of the 

 White Mountains; Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island common; 

 probably in most parts of New England the most common of the genus; 

 found higher up the slopes of mountains than the White Oak. 



IN CONNECTICUT Frequent throughout. 



WOOD Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, light reddish-brown, with 

 thin lighter colored sapwood; used in construction, for the interior 

 finish of houses, and in furniture. Timber of this species as also of 

 Black and Scarlet Oak is relatively poor but is more used than for- 

 merly on account of scarcity of better. 



