Handbook of Tkees of tiif Noktheen States and Canada. 141 



T!ic Scarlet Oak attains the lici^ht of 70 or 

 80 ft. with trunk diameter of 2 or 3 ft., cov- 

 ered with a dark brown shallow-ridded bark, 

 reddish internally- Its habit of growth when 

 isolated from other trees is to form a rounded 

 or oblong head often quite irregular and alw ays 

 beautiful in summer on account of its hand- 

 some deeply-lobed leaves. IJut it is not until 

 it takes (in its brilliant autunuial colors that 

 its beauty and individuality are especially pro- 

 nounced. Then the appropriateness of its name 

 is at once evident, as it assumes a brilliant 

 scarlet cohir, and other tints of red, and re- 

 tains them until late in the autmnn after the 

 leaves nf many of its associates lune withered 

 and fallen. It is an abundant tree over a 

 large iiortioii of its range, particularly in the 

 coast region, growing in sandy soil and on 

 oravelly slopes and ujihinds in compaiiv witli 

 the Red, Black and other Oaks, the Pig-nut 

 and Shag-bark Hickories, the Sweet Birch, Red 

 Cedar, etc. 



Its wood is not distinguished from that of 

 the Red Oak in commerce or iu uses. A cu. ft. 

 when absolutely dry weighs 4G.15 Ibs.i 



Ltd rex broad obovate or oval in ontllne. tvnn- 

 eatp or ohtuse at base, deeply pinnatifid with wide 

 rounded sinuses and 5-9 spreadin,!? lobes, repand- 

 dPDtate, with few spreading bristle-pointed teetli 

 at the ends, reddish and pale pul)escpnt at first. 

 then light green and at maturity glabrous, lust- 

 rous aljove, paler and sometiines hairy tutted in 

 the axils of the veins lieneath : petioles long, 

 slender. Floicrrs staminate anients slender, glah- 

 rous ; calyx 4-.''>-lobed : styles slender, recurved. 

 Fruit sessile or short-stalked, soliiary or m pairs 

 with usually short ovoid lirown and occasionally 

 striated acorns ahout half enveloped in a deep 

 large turbinate cup with thin closely imbricated 

 pointed scales 



1. A. W., Ill, 69. 



