324 



The Oaks 



Quercus alvardiana Eastwood, a recently described and little . known small 

 tree or shrub of the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, California, has very 

 long and slender acorns. 



42. DURAND'S OAK — Qnercns Dnrandii BucUey 



A tree of dry but rich soil of river valleys from central Alabama to Texas, 

 reaching a maximum height of 16 meters, with a trunk diameter of i m. 



The bark is about 2 cm. thick, slightly scaly and Ught gray. The twigs are 



slender and woolly, becom- 

 ing less hairy and dark 

 gray. The winter buds are 

 small, oval and bright 

 brown. The abundant 

 leaves are narrowly oblong, 

 4 to 10 cm. long, entire or 

 but sUghtly s-lobed toward 

 the blimt or somewhat 

 notched apex, broadly ta- 

 pering or wedge-shaped at 

 the base ; they are thick and 

 somewhat leathery, bright 

 green and shining above, 

 very pale and whitish hairy 

 beneath, turning pale yel- 

 low and fall in the autumn. 



Fig. 279. — Durand's Oak. 



The leaf-stalk is stout, grooved, about 5 mm. long. The staminate flowers are 

 in short, hairy catkins; calyx pale yellow with broad lobes; stamens S to 7, ex- 

 serted, their anthers large, broad, notched, smooth and yellow. The pistillate 

 flowers are on short, hairy stalks; scales hairy; styles short, spreading and red. 

 The fruit ripens at the end of the first season, and is nearly sessile ; nut ovoid or 

 somewliat depressed, about i cm. long; cup saUcer-shaped, 10 to 12 mm. across, 

 rather thin, embracing only the base of nut, covered by thin, close, sharp-pointed, 

 whitish-woolly scales. 



The wood is said to equal white oak and is used as such. Locally it is prized 

 for certain portions of cotton gins and is also used in the manufacture of wagon 

 wheels, hubs, spools, and split baskets. 



It is a very beautiful tree and has been confused with the Texan white oak, 

 Q. breviloba (Torrey) Sargent, of central and western Texas. 



