FAGACEAE 
Scarlet Oak 
Quercus coccinea Muench, 
HABIT.—A tree 40-50 feet high and 12-15 inches in trunk 
diameter; long, slender branches form a rather open, rounded 
crown. : 
LEAVES.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long and nearly as 
broad; broadly obovate to oval; 5-9-lobed by deep, wide, rounded 
sinuses, the lobes toothed and bristle-tipped; thin and firm; shin- 
ing, bright green above, paler beneath, both sides glabrous; 
turning brilliant scarlet in autumn; petioles slender, 1-2 inches 
long. 
FLOWERS.—May, with the leaves; monoecious; the stam- 
inate in glabrous catkins 3-4 inches long; the pistillate on pube- 
scent peduncles %4 inch long, bright red, pubescent; calyx 4-5- 
lobed, reddish, pubescent; corolla 0; stamens usually 4, with 
yellow anthers; stigmas long, spreading, bright red. 
FRUIT.—Autumn of second season; sessile or short- 
stalked acorns; cup top-shaped to cup-shaped, with closely im- 
bricated, slightly puberulous, red-brown scales, inclosing about 
one-half of the nut; nut usually short-ovoid, %4-34 inch long, 
light red-brown; kernel whitish, bitter. 
WINTER-BUDS.—Terminal bud about 14 inch long, broadly 
ovoid, acute, dark red-brown, pale-pubescent above the middle. 
BARK.—Twigs at first scurfy-pubescent, later lustrous, 
green, finally smooth, light brown; thick, dark gray or brown 
on old trunks, shallowly fissured, scaly; inner bark red, not 
bitter. 
WOOD,—Heavy, hard, strong, coarse-grained, light red- 
brown, with thick, darker brown sapwood. 
DISTRIBUTION.—Lower Peninsula, southern half. 
HABITAT.—Prefers a light, dry, sandy soil. 
NOTES.—Rapid of growth. Desirable for ornamental plant- 
ing. 
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