CUPULIFERAE 137 



Dr. Mohr indicated on the label of his Alabama specimen that 

 he considered it a hybrid between Qucrcus Marylandica and Q. 

 nigra, and similar views have been expressed by others about Q. 

 Arkaiisaiia. But it does not usually associate with the other species 

 named, and its only resemblance to Q. Marylandica is in the shape 

 of its largest leaves. It differs too much from that in bark and 

 acorns to be closely related to it. The question of hybridity has 

 been discussed by Palmer in the paper cited in the bibliography, 

 Qucrcus Arkansana, or what now passes for that in Alabama, 

 seems to be a perfectly good species, related to Q. nigra and Q. 

 myrtifolia, and it might be regarded by very conservative persons 

 as a giant form of the latter. 



Quercus myrtifolia, AN'illd. ( Q. PlicUos arcnaria. Chapm ; Q. 

 aquatica myrtifolia A. DC.) 



A large shrub, or occasionally a small tree, with small round- 

 ish stiff evergreen leaves concave below. 



Grows in sterile sands ; known in Alabama only from old 

 dunes on the coast of Baldwin County. { Commoner in Florida, 

 like its associate Pinus clansa.) 



Quercus nigra, L. {Q. aquatica (Lam.) Walt.) Water Oak. 



A medium-sized tree with straight trunk, usually a foot or so 

 in diameter, and rather smooth bark. It is variable in foliage, and 

 not always easy to distinguish from related si)ecies. The narrow 

 obscurely three-lobed leaves hang on and remain green i)art of the 

 winter, but are usually nearly all gone before the new ones appear 

 in the spring. It is one of the commonest shade-trees, in all the 

 southeastern states. It is hardly used for anything else, except 

 fuel. 



Grows mostly near streams of all sizes, nearly throughout the 

 state, below 1000 feet altitude. It often comes up like a weed in 

 low clearings, but can hardly be called abundant anywhere. It is 

 rare in the barrens and mountains, and not known in the lower 

 part of the Mobile delta, but is common in regions 6C, T, 8 and 9, 

 where it seems to constitute about two percent of the present forest. 



