150 FAMILIAR TREES AND THEIR LEAVES. 



ern Maryland to western Florida, througli the Gulf 

 States to Texas, and westward to Missouri and Ar- 

 kansas. According to Prof. Sargent, it is rare in all 

 the States, but reaches its commonest and largest 

 growth ia the Eed Eiver Valley, La., and the adja- 

 cent country of Arkansas and Texas. The leaves 

 are of a reddish-copper color when young, and deep 

 green when mature, with a silvery downiness be- 

 neath ; they are crowded at the ends of the branch- 

 lets ; few of them are over seven inches in length ; 

 they turn dull orange-red in the fall. The leaf lobes 

 are somewhat acute. The acorn has a roundish cup 

 with very rough scales, which nearly covers the glob- 

 ular nut. The four species just described complete 

 the list of common white oaks. 



,^ .. « , The swamp white oak belongs to the 

 Swamp White Oak. ^ ° 



guercmiicolor. group of chestnut oaks,* the other 

 Quercus piatanoides. jjn-ee members of which immediately 

 follow. Its leaf has a wavy edge which is not deep- 

 ly cut ; it is shiny green above, and . silvery-white, 

 downy below. In autumn it finally turns a yellow 

 brownish-buff color. The acorn usually grows on a 

 long stem (frequently in pairs), and has a rough, 

 rounded cup, with a bristhng if not a fringed edge. 

 The nut is sweet and edible. 



* The leaves closely resemble those of the chestnut. 



