Handbook of Tkees of the ISToetheen States and Canada. 149 



This abundant and widely distributed Oak 

 constitutes a considerable portion of the Oak 

 forests of the Atlantic states, frequently at- 

 taining the height of 70 or 80 ft. and has been 

 known to considerably surpass 100 ft. in height, 

 with trunk 3 or 4 ft. in diameter. The bark of 

 trunk is firmly ridged, dark brown or blackish 

 outside and distinctly j'ellowish within. When 

 growing apart from other trees it develops a 

 rather \vide rounded or oblong top of which 

 a noticeable feature is its large lustrous leaves, 

 particularly those of its lower branches. In 

 autumn they assume tints varying from dull 

 red to orange and brown. 



The wood, of which a cubic foot when abso- 

 lutely dry weighs 43.90 lbs., is not distinguished 

 in commerce and uses from that of the Red 

 Oak. 2 The inner bark j'ields tannin, a yellow 

 dye, and is sometimes used in medicine. 



Leaves obovate to oblong in outline, 3-12 in. 

 long, mostly obtuse but sometimes truncate or 

 rounded at base, pinnately lobed generally to about 

 the middle with round-pointed sinuses and usually 

 7 more or less oblique lobes sparingly mucronate- 

 deutate at apex, broader at base and the terminal 

 pair the largest, red at first then hoary-pubescent 

 and at maturity lustrous dark green above, paler 

 and pubescent and hairy-tufted in the axils of tbe 

 veins beneath. Leaves are sometimes found hardly 

 distinguishable from those of the Scarlet Oak. 

 Flowers: staminate aments 4-6 in. long with calyx 

 pubescent and acute lobes ; pistillate aments with 

 short tomentose peduncles and red stigmas. 

 Fruit solitary or in pairs, sessile or short-stalked 

 with stout ovoid brown and often striated and 

 sometimes pubescent acorn, %-% in. long, almost 

 halt covered with the deep turbinate cup with 

 thin light brown scarious margined scales, closely 

 Imbricated at the base and loosely so or somewhat 

 spreading nearer the edgps of the cup. 



1. Syn. Quercus tinctoria Bartr. 



2. A. W., IV, 93. 



