Cow Oak 



331 



51. COW OAK — Quercus Michauxii Nuttall 



This magnificent tree inhabits moist soils along streams and swamp borders, 

 from Delaware to northern Florida, westward to Indiana, Missouri and Texas, 

 attaining a maximum height of 35 meters, with a trunk diameter of 2 m. It is 

 also known as Basket oaE, Swamp oak, and Swamp chestnut oak. 



The straight trunk is often free of branches for half its height. The branches 

 are stout and ascending, the crown of old trees usually roimd-topped. The bark 

 is up to 2.5 cm. thick, separating into very thin flaky plates of a nearly white or 

 reddish gray color. The 

 twigs are stout, dark green 

 and hairy, soon becoming 

 smooth, hght reddish or 

 orange-brown, and finally 

 gray. The buds are ovoid 

 or oval, 6 mm. long, sharp- 

 pointed and dark red. The 

 leaves are obovate or broadly 

 oblong, 10 to 20 cm. long, 

 sharp or short taper-pointed, 

 wedge-shaped or narrowly 

 rounded at the base, coarsely 

 roimd-toothed, sKghtly shin- 

 ing with the midrib im- 

 pressed above, pale, densely 

 covered with short hairs and 

 prominently veined beneath, turning dark reddish before falling in late autuinn; 

 the leaf-stalk is stout, flattened, channelled, i to 3 cm. long. The flowers aplpear 

 when the leaves are about half unfolded in April or May, the staminate in slender, 

 hairy catkins 7.5 to 10 cm. long; calyx minutely hairy, yellow-green, 4- to 7-lobed; 

 stamens up to 7, their anthers broadly oblong, shghtly notched, smooth, and yel- 

 low. The pistillate flowers are few or several, spicate, their involucres brownish 

 hairy; styles short, broad, spreading, and dark red. The fruit ripens the first 

 autumn, is solitary or 2 together on short stalks; nut oblong to ovoid, 3 to 3.5 cm. 

 long, bright brown, somewhat shining, its seed sweet and edible; cup deeply sau- 

 cer-shaped, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. across, reddish brown and hairy inside, thick, embrac- 

 ing about one third of the nut, covered by large, broad, hairy, often thickened 

 scales forming a fringe around its rim. 



The wood is very hard, strong and tough, close-grained, lightish brown; its 

 specific gravity is about 0.80. It is quite durable in contact with the soil and is 

 used to a large extent as White oak in the southeastern States for general con- 

 struction, agricultural implements, cooperage, and as it splits easily, it is much 



Fig. 288. — Cow Oak. 



