Quercus 12-55 



surrounded by a whorl of long linear-subulate tomentose stipules. Leaves (Plate 

 335> P^§- 2^) coriaceous, deciduous in autumn, 5 to 6 in. long, 2 to 3 in. broad, 

 oblong to oval, acute at the apex, cuneate or rounded and unequal at the base; 

 variously lobed, with deep or shallow sinuses ; lobes, seven or eight pairs, unequal 

 in length, oblong or triangular, entire or with one or two teeth, acute at the apex, 

 which is cartilaginous, without a clearly projecting mucro ; upper surface dark 

 green, with numerous minute stellate hairs ; lower surface greyish or dark green, 

 covered with a minute stellate pubescence ; midrib and nerves reddish with more 

 conspicuous longer pubescence ; petiole ^ to f in. long, tomentose. 



Staminate catkins tomentose, 2 to 3 in. long ; calyx tomentose, stamens four. 

 Pistillate flowers, one to four on a short stout tomentose peduncle, only one as a 

 rule developing ; stigmas four, reflexed, sessile. 



Fruit ripe in the second autumn, one to four on the branchlet of the preceding 

 season, which may or may not have developed a leafy branch of the second year ; 

 each solitary on a short stout tomentose stalk ; acorn variable in length, averaging 

 one inch, depressed and slightly pubescent at the apex, glabrous elsewhere ; cupule 

 hemispherical, ^ to f in. in diameter, densely covered with long linear grey 

 tomentose scales, all reflexed and curved or hooked, except those in the upper zone, 

 which are erect and inflexed, forming a loose fringe around the margin of the cupule, 

 closely surrounding the acorn. 



Varieties and Hybrids 



In the wild state there is considerable variation in the shape of the leaf 



1. Var. austriaca, Loudon. Quercus austriaca, Willdenow, Sp. PL iv. 454 

 (1805). 



Leaves with regular triangular entire lobes, greyer beneath than in the typical 

 form. This variety is prevalent in south-eastern Europe. 



2. Vax. pseudocerris, Boissier, Flora Orient, iv. 11 71 (1879). 



Leaves deeply divided into linear, entire or three- to five-Iobulate segments. 

 This variety occurs occasionally in Greece and Asia Minor. 

 Several forms have arisen as sports in the seed-bed. 



3. Var. laciniata, Petzold and Kirchner, Arb. Muse. 636 (1864). 



Leaves deeply and irregularly lobed, the sinuses extending to near the midrib, 

 some of the leaves only \ in. wide. 



4. Var. variegata, Loddiges, ex Loudon. 



Leaves variegated with white blotches. This is said ^ to have originated as a 

 sport at Woburn Abbey, where good specimens of it are now growing. 



5. Vax. pendula, Neill, ex Gilpin, Forest Scenery, i. 73 (1834). 



Branches pendulous. Loudon mentions a remarkable weeping tree at Hack- 

 wood Park. This variety ^ does not seem to be propagated at the present time. 

 The hybrids are described under Q. Lucombeana, p. 1259. 



> Card. Chron., 1873, p. 1046. 

 2 It is mentioned as well known in Card. Chron., 1871, p. 1321. 



