Trees of New York State 187 



FAGAGEAE 



Qucrcus rubra L. 



Red Oak 



Habit — One of the largest of the oaks, usually 50-80 feet in height with a 

 trunk diameter of 2-4 feet, occasionally under exceptional conditions 150 

 feet tall. In the open the trunk is short and massive, soon breaking up 

 into stout limbs to form a broad symmetrical crowTi. In dense stands 

 the bole continues into the narrow, round-topped head. 



Leaves — 'Alternate, oblong to oval-obovate, 5-9 inehes long, 4-6 inches wide, 

 acute at the apex, cuneate or rounded at the base, 7-11 lobed, the lobes 

 usually sinuately 3-toothed and bristle-tipped and separated by wide, 

 rounded, oblique sinuses which extend about half way to the midrib. At 

 maturity the leaves are thin, firm, glabrous, dull dark green above, paler 

 and glabrous or puberulous below. Petioles stout, 1-2 inches long. 



Flowers — In New York State appearing in late May or early June when the 

 leaves are about half gro'mi, monoecious. Staminate flowers pedunculate 

 in interrupted, filiform, pendulous, hairy aments 4-5 inches long which 

 are borne on the growth of the preceding season or from the axils of 

 the inner scales of the terminal bud. Calyx campanulate, green, pubes- 

 cent, deeply cut into 4^5 narrow, ovate lobes. Stamens 4-5, •with large, 

 oblong emarginate, yellow anthers. Pistillate flowers in groups of 2-3 

 (occasionally solitary), pedunculate, borne in the axils of the leaves of 

 the season, each subtended by the broadly ovate, hairy, involucral scales. 

 Calyx adnate to the ovary, -ndth lanceolate acute lobes. Pistil consisting 

 of a 3-celled (rarely 4-5-celled) ovary surmounted by 3 elongated, spread- 

 ing, strap-shaped green styles stigmatic on the inner surface. 



Fruit — An acorn, borne solitary or in pairs, sessile or on a short, stout 

 peduncle, ripening the second season. Nut oblong-ovoid, chestnut-bro^^^l 

 and lustrous at maturity, round-pointed at the apex, %— l^/^ inches long, 

 enclosed for about one-fourth of the length in the cup. Cup saucer-shaped, 

 thick, reddish brown and pubescent 'U'ithin, reddish bro^\^l, lustrous and 

 puberulous without. 



Winter characters • — Twigs slender, pale-lenticellate, smooth, dark red, at 

 length reddish or greenish brown. Buds alternate, those near the branch- 

 tip clustered about the terminal bud, ovate, acute, light chestnut-brown, 

 about 1/4 of an inch long. Mature bark dark brown, thick, divided by shal- 

 low fissures into regular, continuous, flat-topped ridges scaly at the 

 surface. 



Habitat — • Eequires a well-drained site, thriving best on gravelly or sandy 

 loams but not exactuig as to soil requirements. 



Range — Nova Scotia to Minnesota and Kansas, south to Florida and Texas. 

 Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — Wood hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, pale reddish brown with 

 paler sapwood. Used for construction, furniture, interior finish, railroad 

 ties and timbers, but less durable and inferior to that of the white oaks. 

 The most rapidly gi'owing species of oak, recommended over others in 

 silvicultural practice. 



