m \KI 1 I \K 

 i reus coccim <> M>>< nch. 



The Oak la m il > 



I \«, H I 



Ha* it and Habitat: A tff ■"»<» feet tall, with a trunk diameter 



L2-15 inches, sionally somewhat larger; tin- long, slender branches 



form an open, rounded oblong, or often irregular crown, depending upon 

 the closeness of iti iation with other trees. Usually found in light, 



comparatively dry. sandy or gravelly soils, upon slopes and hills. 



Leaves and Bud^: The leaves are alternate, simple, S-6 inches 

 long, 2^-4 inches broad, broadly ovate or oval, wedge-shaped or straight 

 the base, deeply 5-9-lobed by wide, rounded indentations, the 1« 

 >thed and bristle-tipped, when very young bright red and covered with 

 loose felty hairs above, and silvery-white beneath, becoming at ma- 

 turity thin and firm, shiny, bright green above, paler and less shiny 

 smooth beneath, turning brilliant scarlet late in the autumn; pe 

 les slender, 1-2 inches long. Winter buds oval or ovate, gradually 



narrowed toward the acute apex. 's-S inch long, dark reddish-brown, and 

 ivered with pale hairs above the middle. 



Flower> and Fruits: Flowers appearing in May as the leaves are 



eloping, the staminate in catkins. Staminate flowers in smooth, 

 slender, drooping catkins 3-4 inches long; calyx hairy, bright red bef 

 opening, 4-5-lobed with ovate, acute segments; stamens usually 4. yellow. 

 Pistillate flowers few, on hairv stalks V4 inch long, in the axils of the 

 young leaves, bright red, hairy; stigmas long, spreading, hairy, bright 

 red. Fruit ripening in the autumn of the second growing season, solitary 

 or pairs, short-stalked; acorn oval, oblong, or rarely hemispherical, fiat 



rounded at the base, rounded at the apex, ^-l inch long. Vs-% inch 

 broad, light reddish-brown, inclosed for one-third to one-half its length 

 in the acorn cup; cup top-shaped or cup-shaped, with closely over- 

 lapping, red-brown scales which are more or less hairy. Kernel bitter, 

 not edible. 



Hark. Twigs and Wood: The twigs are at first coated with scurfy - 

 I, soon becoming pale green, smooth, shiny, and liirht brown: bark 

 on old branches dark brown and smooth, on main trunk becoming dark 

 y or brown, V4-1 inch thick and divided by shallow fissures into 

 irrefular ridges covered by small, light brown scales tinged with red. 

 " bitter. Wood hard, heavy, strong, coarse-grained, light or reddish- 

 brown, with thick, darker brown eapwood. 



Distribution in the State: The scarlet oak is a very common for 

 e throughout northeastern United States from Michigan to north* 

 Georeria and from Maine to Iowa and Missouri. It has entered the 

 item corner of this state from Missouri fc ami has spread 



alone th" river from Richardson county as far northward 

 ■county. Ma j) '. 



Remarks: Tl ak is one <»f tin- more rapidly growing 



.ml it is one of our better trees for ornamental planting, being 



fullv as del le as the red oak for this purpose. Tim wood is largely 



used in the manufacture of furniture, for interior trim and for fuel; it is 



distinguished from red oak wood commercially. The wot d 

 fine for fuel. 





