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POST OAK 



{Quercus stellata Wang., formerly Q. minor Sarg.) 



THE post oak is usually a medium-sized tree, with 

 a rounded crown, commonly reaching a height of 

 50 to 80 feet and a diameter of 1 to 2 feet, but some- 

 times considerably larger. It occurs throughout the 

 State, ascending in the mountains to 2,500 feet, but 

 is most abundant on the poorer soils of the middle 

 districts. 



The bark is rougher 

 and darker than the 

 n^hite oak and broken 

 into smaller scales. 

 The stout young 

 twigs and the leaves 

 are coated at first 

 with a thick light- 

 colored fuzz which 

 soon becomes darker 

 and later drops away 

 entirely. 



The leaves are 



usually 4 to 5 inches long and nearly as broad, 

 deeply 5-lobed with broad rounded divisions, the 

 lobes broadest at the ends. They are thick and 

 somewhat leathery, dark green and shiny on the 

 upper surface, lighter green and rough hairy be- 

 neath. 



The flowers, like those of the other oaks, are 

 of two kinds on the same tree, the male in drooping, 

 clustered catkins, the female inconspicuous. The 

 fruit is an oval acorn, one-half to 1 inch long, set 

 in a rather small cup which may or may not be 

 stalked. 



The wood is very heavy, hard, close-grained, light 

 to dark brown, durable in contact with the soil. 

 It is used for crossties and fence posts, and along 

 with other oaks of the white oak class for furniture 

 and other purposes. 



POST OAK 

 One-third natural size. 



36 



