OAK FAMILY 



The Variant Lea\'es of Spanish Oak, 



half inch long, pale orange 

 sometimes deep, often em- 

 braces one-half the nut, 

 covered with reddish brown, 

 pubescent scales. 



The Spanish Oak is 

 really a southern tree 

 although it appears in 

 New Jersey, southern 

 Illinois and Indiana. Its 

 leaves vary greatly in 



Leai'i-s. — Alternate, six to se\en 

 inches long, four to five inches 

 wide. Of two forms ; first form 

 oblong or obovate, usually wedge- 

 shaped at base, five to seven-lobed. 

 lobes often falcate, bristle-tipped, 

 sinuses broad ; second form is 

 obo\ate with a broad apc.\ which 

 is three-lobed, otherwise entire. 

 Both forms are found on the same 

 branch, but sometimes character- 

 ize dift'erent trees. They come out 

 of the bud con\olute, when full 

 grown are dark shining green 

 above, pale green covered with 

 rusty pubescence below ; midribs 

 stout, tomentose ; primary veins 

 prominent. In autumn they turn 

 a bright clear yellow or dull yellow 

 brown. Petioles short, flattened. 

 Stipules oblong, caducous. 



Flo\i\rs. — May, appearing with 

 the lea\es. Staminate flowers 

 borne in hairy aments three to 

 five inches long. Calyx four to 

 five-lobed, pubescent; lobes 

 ovate, rounded, shorter than the 

 stamens. .Stamens four to five 

 with oblong yellow anthers. Pis- 

 tillate flowers borne on stout pe- 

 duncles. Involucral scales tomen- 

 tose, as long as the calyx lobes ; 

 stigmas long, dark red. 



Aiorns. — Ripen in the summer 

 of second year. Sessile or stalked. 

 Nut is globular to oblong, one- 

 brown; cup thin and saucer-shaped, 



Spanish Oali, Quercus lilgiiata. Acorns J-a' long. 

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